Traditional Winter Welsh Beef Stew with Herbs & Horseradish and Parsley Dumplings
Ingredients
450g (1 lb) Lean Welsh beef braising cubes
15ml (1 tbsp) Oil
6 Shallots, peeled and halved
2 Cloves garlic, squashed
1 Leek, roughly sliced
2 Celery sticks, cut into chunks
2 Carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
2 Turnips, peeled and cut into chunks
Sprigs of fresh parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
300ml (½ pt) Beef stock
300ml (½ pt) Ale
100g (4 oz) Self-raising flour
50g (2 oz) Suet
45ml (3 tbsp) Fresh parsley, chopped
30ml (2 tbsp)Horseradish sauce
Cold water to mix
Method
Preheat oven to gas mark 4, 180°C, 350°F.
Heat oil in a large ovenproof pan or casserole pot. Add the beef cubes and brown on all sides.
Add the shallots and garlic and continue to cook for 1-2 mins. Add all remaining ingredients and bring to the boil, cover with lid or foil. Cook in preheated oven for 1½ hours.
In a bowl mix together the flour, suet and parsley. Add the horseradish sauce and a few spoonfuls of cold water and mix together with a spoon. Using your hands press the mixture together to form a ball. Break off small pieces of the pastry and roll in your hands to form a small ball / dumpling (the mixture should make about 10-12 small dumplings).
Remove stew after 1½ hours, remove lid and drop the dumplings into the stew. Return to the oven for a further 30 mins until the dumplings are fluffy but golden.
Serve in bowls with dumplings and extra steamed seasonal green vegetables.
