Ingredients

• spray oil
• for frying
• 600g/1lb 5oz lean stewing beef
• all visible fat removed
• 1 litre/1¾ pints beef stock
• made from 2 low-sodium cubes
• 1 large onion
• finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• crushed
• 2 celery sticks
• finely chopped
• 3 carrots
• 1 finely chopped
• rest cut into chunks
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 parsnip
• cut into chunks
• 300g/10½oz butternut squash (about half a squash)
• 150g/5½oz self-raising flour
• pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or thyme (depending on preference)
• 1 egg yolk
• lightly beaten
• 1 tsp olive oil

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
• Preheat a casserole dish on the hob
• then spray with oil. Add the beef in batches
• cooking each batch until browned all over and spraying with more oil as needed. Transfer the beef to a plate using a slotted spoon and set aside. Add a little stock to the dish
• turn the heat up to high
• and deglaze by scrubbing off the cooked-on bits with a spatula.
• Turn down the heat and spray the dish with more oil. Add the onion and cook until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the celery and finely chopped carrot and cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the tomato purée and balsamic and cook for 2-3 minutes more. Return the meat to the pan and stir in the rest of the stock
• then bring to the boil.
• Put the dish in the oven (without a lid) and cook for 1 hour.
• Add the parsnip
• butternut squash and carrot chunks
• put the lid on the dish and cook for another 30 minutes.
• For the dumplings
• put the flour in a mixing bowl with the salt and pepper. Mix in the herbs. Add the egg and oil and mix
• adding just enough cold water to bring it together as a dough (about 4 tbsp). Be careful not to add too much water as this will make the dumplings heavy. Knead the mixture a little.
• Shape into eight golf-ball-sized pieces and put on top of the stew
• pushing down a little to coat in the juices. Cover with the lid and return to the oven for 15 minutes
• then remove the lid and cook for a further 15 minutes.
• When the dumplings are golden-brown
• lift them out of the stew into serving bowls and stir the stew (the squash will be very tender
• which will thicken and flavour the sauce). Serve immediately.