Ingredients

• 2 cloves
• ¼ cinnamon stick
• 2 star anise
• plain flour
• for dusting
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1kg/2lb 4oz braising steak
• cut into large pieces
• 3-4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 carrots
• chopped
• 2 onions
• cut into quarters
• 4 celery stalks
• trimmed
• cut in half
• 3 large Bramley apples
• cored and diced
• 500ml/18fl oz ale
• 1.5 litres/2½ pints chicken stock
• 1 bunch rosemary
• tied together with cook's string
• 5 bay leaves
• 115g/4oz fresh white breadcrumbs
• 115g/4oz beef suet
• 115g/4oz self-raising flour
• pinch salt
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh flatleaf parsley leaves
• 1 free-range egg
• beaten
• 2 tbsp milk
• rapeseed oil or melted butter
• for glazing

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 140C/275F/Gas 1.
• For the stew
• wrap the cloves
• cinnamon and star anise in a clean piece of muslin and secure well. Set aside.
• Sprinkle the flour onto a plate and mix in the salt. Dredge the beef in the seasoned flour
• shaking off any excess.
• Heat the oil in a large
• heavy-based
• lidded
• flameproof casserole over a medium heat. Add the beef in batches
• frying for a few seconds on all sides
• or until browned all over. Remove from the casserole using a slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl. Repeat the process with the remaining beef.
• Add the carrots and fry
• stirring regularly
• for 6-8 minutes
• or until sticky and deep golden-brown. Remove from the casserole using a slotted spoon and set aside with the beef.
• Add the onions and fry
• stirring regularly
• for 6-8 minutes
• or until well coloured. Remove from the casserole using a slotted spoon and set aside with the beef and carrots. Add the celery and fry
• stirring regularly
• for 6-8 minutes
• or until well coloured.
• Return the beef and cooked vegetables to the casserole and stir well. Add the muslin bag and the apples and stir again. Pour in the ale
• stir well
• then bring the mixture to the boil.
• Pour in the stock
• add the rosemary and bay leaves and return the mixture to the boil. Stir well
• then cover the casserole with the lid and reduce the heat until the mixture is just simmering. Season
• to taste
• with salt.
• Transfer the casserole to the oven and cook for 2½-3½ hours
• or until the beef is tender and falling-apart.
• For the dumplings
• mix together the breadcrumbs
• suet
• self-raising flour
• salt and parsley in a large bowl until well combined. In a jug
• whisk together the egg and milk until well combined.
• Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients
• then gradually pour the wet ingredients into it. Stir the dry mixture into the wet mixture a little at a time
• until the mixture comes together as a dough. Roll the dough into eight equally-sized dumplings
• then set aside.
• When the stew has been cooking for 2½-3 hours and the meat is tender
• remove the casserole from the oven and remove the lid. Dot the dumplings onto the surface of the stew
• leaving space between each.
• Put the lid on the casserole and return it to the oven for a further 20 minutes
• or until the dumplings have expanded.
• Remove the casserole from the oven. Remove the lid from the casserole and brush the tops of the dumplings with a little oil or melted butter.
• Increase the oven temperature to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
• Return the casserole to the oven. Continue to cook for a further 10-15 minutes
• or until the dumplings are crisp and golden-brown on top and cooked through.
• Set the casserole aside for 10-20 minutes before serving. To serve
• place the casserole on the table and let people help themselves.