Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 onions
• finely chopped
• 2½ beef stock cubes
• preferably organic
• 2kg/4lb 2oz beef mince
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 litre/1¾ pints water
• 2 tbsp gravy browning powder
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1.5kg/3lb 4oz self-raising flour
• plus extra for dusting
• 6 tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 500-750ml/18fl oz-1 pint 6fl oz cold water
• 3kg/6lb 8oz white potatoes
• peeled
• cut into equal-sized pieces
• 150g/5oz butter
• 600g/1lb 5oz young carrots
• scrubbed
• trimmed

Directions

• For the mince
• heat the oil in a large casserole dish over a high heat. Add the onions and fry for 3-4 minutes
• or until softened.
• Add the stock cubes and stir well to dissolve them in the oil. Fry for a further minute.
• Add the mince
• in batches
• and fry for 6-8 minutes
• stirring
• or until browned all over. Remove the cooked mince and set aside on a plate. Repeat the process with the remaining mince.
• Return the cooked mince to the casserole
• then add the Worcestershire sauce and water and bring the mixture to a simmer.
• Add the gravy browning powder and season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover the casserole with a lid and simmer for three hours
• stirring occasionally
• or until the cooking liquid has thickened and the meat is tender.
• Meanwhile
• for the dumplings
• in a large mixing bowl
• mix together the flour and chopped parsley. Season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Gradually add the water in a thin stream
• stirring well
• until the mixture comes together as a firm dough. (NB: You may not need to use all of the water.)
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead lightly until smooth. Pinch off golf ball-sized pieces of the dough and roll into balls.
• Boil the potatoes in a pan of salted water for 10-15 minutes
• or until tender.
• As the potatoes are cooking
• carefully lower the dumplings into the boiling water. When all the dumplings have been added to the pan
• reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering
• then cover the pan with a lid and simmer for 12-15 minutes
• or until the dumplings have risen and the potatoes are just tender.
• Remove the dumplings from the pan using a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on kitchen paper
• then drain the potatoes and return them to the pan. Add half of the butter and stir until the butter melts and coats the potatoes.
• Meanwhile
• bring a pan of salted water to the boil
• add the carrots and cook for 4-5 minutes
• or until tender. Drain well
• then return the carrots to the pan and stir in the remaining butter. Season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• To serve
• spoon the dumplings into the centre of each of 12 serving plates. Spoon over the mince. Serve the buttered potatoes and carrots alongside.