Ingredients

• 1kg/2lb 4oz silverside beef
• cut into large pieces
• 1 tsp plain flour
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 onions
• cut into chunks
• 3 carrots
• scrubbed and cut into large pieces
• 4 sticks celery
• cut into large pieces
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 300ml/10½fl oz red wine
• 500ml/18fl oz beef stock
• 2 sprigs fresh parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 garlic cloves
• finely sliced
• 25g/1oz butter
• 1 tsp redcurrant jelly
• 200g/7oz plain flour
• plus extra for dusting
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• 100g/3½oz suet
• shredded
• 2 tbsp finely chopped flatleaf parsley
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• Dredge the beef in the flour until coated.
• Heat half of the vegetable oil in a large
• lidded casserole dish over a high heat. Fry the beef
• in batches
• until browned on all sides
• about 3-4 minutes. Remove and set aside.
• Add the onions
• carrots and celery to the casserole and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the tomato purée
• stir well
• then cook for a further 1-2 minutes.
• Pour in the red wine
• bring it to the boil
• then reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering and simmer until it has reduced in volume by half. Add the beef stock and return the mixture to a simmer. Return the beef to the casserole and stir well.
• Tie the herbs together as a bouquet garni using cooking string and add it to the casserole. Finally
• stir in the garlic.
• Cover the stew with the lid and simmer gently for 1½ hours
• or until the beef is really tender.
• For the dumplings
• in a bowl
• mix together the flour
• baking powder
• suet
• chopped parsley and a pinch of salt
• then gradually add 3-5 tablespoons water
• mixing as you do so
• until the mixture comes together as a slightly sticky dough (you might not need to use all of the water).
• Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and roll into small balls
• each half the size of a golf ball. Set aside until the stew is ready.
• Remove the bouquet garni from the stew
• season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper
• then stir in the butter and redcurrant jelly.
• Top the stew with the dumplings
• cover the casserole with the lid
• then return to the oven for 10-15 minutes
• or until the dumplings have puffed up and are cooked through. Serve in bowls.