Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 25g/1oz butter
• 750g/1lb 10oz beef stewing steak
• chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 2 garlic cloves
• crushed
• 175g/6oz baby onions
• peeled
• 150g/5oz celery
• cut into large chunks
• 150g/5oz carrots
• cut into large chunks
• 2 leeks
• roughly chopped
• 200g/7oz swede
• cut into large chunks
• 150ml/5fl oz red wine
• 500ml/18fl oz beef stock
• 2 fresh bay leaves
• 3 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh flatleaf parsley
• Worcestershire sauce
• to taste
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• or to taste
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 125g/4½oz plain flour
• plus extra for dusting
• 1 tsp baking powder
• pinch salt
• 60g/2½oz suet
• water
• to make a dough
• mashed potato
• 1 tbsp chopped flatleaf parsley

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
• For the beef stew
• heat the oil and butter in an ovenproof casserole and fry the beef until browned on all sides.
• Sprinkle over the flour and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
• Add the garlic and all the vegetables and fry for 1-2 minutes.
• Stir in the wine
• stock and herbs
• then add the Worcestershire sauce and balsamic vinegar
• to taste. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Cover with a lid
• transfer to the oven and cook for about two hours
• or until the meat is tender.
• For the dumplings
• sift the flour
• baking powder and salt into a bowl.
• Add the suet and enough water to form a thick dough.
• With floured hands
• roll spoonfuls of the dough into small balls.
• After two hours
• remove the lid from the stew and place the balls on top of the stew. Cover
• return to the oven and cook for a further 20 minutes
• or until the dumplings have swollen and are tender. (If you prefer your dumplings with a golden top
• leave the lid off when returning to the oven.)
• To serve
• place a spoonful of mashed potato onto each of four serving plates and top with the stew and dumplings. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.