Ingredients

• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 large onion
• halved
• thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves
• finely chopped
• 2 celery sticks
• finely sliced
• 2 medium carrots
• diced
• 500g/1lb 2oz beef mince
• 1 x 400g/14oz can chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 450ml/16fl oz beef stock
• fresh or made with a cube
• pinch caster sugar
• 1 bay leaf
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 250g/9oz self-raising flour
• 125g/4½oz beef suet
• shredded
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tsp finely chopped rosemary
• 1 tsp finely chopped thyme

Directions

• For the mince
• heat the oil in a large saucepan or flameproof casserole dish and cook the onion
• garlic
• celery and carrots for 15 minutes
• stirring occasionally until softened and lightly coloured. Add the beef and cook with the vegetables for a further five minutes until the mince begins to brown
• stirring regularly to break up the meat.
• Add the tomatoes
• tomato purée
• beef stock
• sugar and bay leaf. Add a good pinch of salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Bring to the boil
• then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 20 minutes
• stirring occasionally.
• To make the dumplings
• put the flour in a bowl and stir in the suet
• salt and parsley
• rosemary and thyme. Make a well in the centre and add enough cold water - you’ll need around 200ml/7fl oz - to mix to a soft
• spongy dough. Lightly flour your hands and roll the mixture into 12 small balls.
• Stir the mince well and remove from the heat. Drop the dumplings carefully on top of the mince then cover with a tightly fitting lid and return the pan to a medium heat. Cook for 18-20 minutes or until the dumplings are well risen.