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Monday 6 October 2008

Beef Stew & Cheesy Dumpling - World Food Day Event!



This is my British traditional dish that I am sharing to the conga line of international dishes to feed the world!!

As you are fully aware by now as you follow my blog, my passion and love is baking, but I do cook traditional English food from scratch for my family each day. My reasons for posting this family traditional dish are that my ‘dear’ blogging friends Val from More Than Burnt Toast and Ivy from Kopiaste are hosting a most important event for “World Food Day Event”. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has celebrated World Food Day each year on October 16 since 1945. As Val states on her blog, “she and Ivy are bringing the world a little closer together with both of them blogging on opposite sides of the world. Ivy in Athens, Greece and Val from British Columbia, Canada. The objectives of this event are to heighten our awareness of the problem of hunger in the world today and to bring our attentions of what WE can do to about it personally!

I have been extremely fortunate in my life thus far and have never felt the pangs of hunger that many unfortunate individuals have and still are experiencing to this day!! This is why I feel extremely passionate about showing my support to this blogging event.

I kindly ask if you are a blogger to please show your support in this event too by clicking on one of the above links to either Val’s or Ivy’s where you’ll find information on how to join in this event as I have.


Beef Stew & Cheesy Dumpling

In autumn and winter in England, my family crave for comfort food such as; good hearty wholesome meat stews with root vegetables to help ward off the bitter cold. I like to add dumplings to my stews and ring the changes of flavours for them on occasions, by adding cheese and mustard or herbs or even grated horseradish and herbs. This stew is in keeping with a recipe I learnt as a child stood at the side of my mum whilst she was cooking. I have made a few little changes to mums recipe such as adding fresh beef stock, Guinness, garlic, tomato puree and changed the mushrooms to chestnut instead of button mushrooms and adding different flavours to the dumplings. There are no set rules of what is added to a stew and that’s the beauty of this dish. Perhaps different spices and herbs, vegetables or meat can be interchange in a stew. Stew is a wonderful dish that doesn’t need much looking after once in the oven but the taste it imparts is well worth the initial preparation.


Beef Stew & Cheesy Dumpling

Serves 6
Ingredients
550g (1lb 5oz) stewing steak, cut into cubes
3 tbsp plain flour, seasoned with salt & pepper
2 tbsp beef dripping or olive oil
50g (2 oz) butter
2 onions, peeled and sliced keeping the slices quite large
3 carrots, peeled & sliced into chunks
2 celery stalks, cleaned, trimmed and chopped
¼ small swede, peeled and cubed
1 medium parsnip, peeled and cubed
250g (9 oz) chestnut mushrooms, cleaned & halved if large
A good handful of frozen peas
Tin of tomatoes, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 bay leaves
2 tsp mixed herbs
½ tsp onion salt
Good splash of Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp tomato puree
275ml (1/2 pint) beef stock
330ml bottle of Guinness beer
Salt & ground black pepper for seasoning

For The Dumplings
100g (4 oz) self-raising flour
50g (2 oz) suet, beef or vegetable
¼ tsp baking powder
1 tsp mustard powder
15g (3 oz) mature grated cheddar cheese
1 handful of chopped fresh parsley
1 egg beaten
A little cold water
You will need a large casserole dish with lid, which will go on the hob and oven.

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/350°f/Gas mark 4.

Heat the dripping or oil in a large casserole dish on the hob and roll the meat in the seasoned flour until all is coated and batch brown the meat, remove the meat onto plate and put aside. Lower the heat a little and place the butter into the casserole dish and place all the root vegetables, celery, mushrooms and brown off a little for 10 - 15 minutes, adding the chopped garlic for the last two minutes stirring with a large wooden spoon,(they don’t need to be fully cooked through at this stage). Return the meat to the casserole dish and add the frozen peas. Add the chopped tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, onion salt, tomato puree, beef stock, Guinness beer, mixed herbs, bay leaves and seasoning to taste, giving a good stir to amalgamate everything together. Place the lid on the casserole dish and place into the preheated oven to cook for 2 hours or until the meat and vegetables are tender and the gravy has thickened. Stir the beef stew at intervals throughout cooking.

Whilst the beef stew is cooking in the oven prepare the cheesy dumplings. Place all the dry ingredients into a bowl and add the egg and enough water to make a sticky dough. Try not to over mix. Take small amounts of the dough mixture the size of walnuts and roll into rounds in the palm of your hands. Place into the beef stew at the end of cooking time, cover with lid and place back into the oven and for 15 minutes or until the cheesy dumplings are fluffy and cooked through. Serve with creamy mash.

Rosie’s Notes, my mum would have added peeled quartered raw potatoes to her casserole dish with all the other root vegetables before placing into the oven. This made for a one pot meal; the potatoes would also help thicken the gravy as it cooked.

40 comments:

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

Thak you so much Rosie for all your kind words and support. We can feed the world one person at a time:D This dish represents Britain very well!!

Emily Rose said...

What a great idea! I'm so interested in British food, surprisingly, we don't hear very much about it in the USA. I'm going to do my best to try to cook up a Cajun dish for this event to represent Southern Louisiana!

Prudy said...

What a beautiful recipe for such a worthy cause. I need to join in and do my part too.

Maria♥ said...

What a great entry!! I made a Beef and Beer Stew yesterday for our Sunday dinner and served it with rice for a nice change. Yours looks delish! Can't beat stews and casseroles for that comfort food we all crave in autumn and winter ;o)

Maria
x

Peter M said...

Rosie, you should show your savory side more often, this looks fabulously appetizing.

Silvia - Magnolia Wedding Planner said...

Wow Rosie! this dish is stunning! :-D I wish I was there with you with a slice of bread in my hand ;-P..what a dream!
a bigggg kisssss
Silvia

Beth (jamandcream) said...

Stew and dumpligs - you can't get heartier than that. Looks delicious and Im craving a bowl right now

Sylvie said...

I have lived here for ten years now and I don't think I have ever had British dumplings yet. That's something I have to change this winter. Great event, Rosie, thanks for reminding me to take part.

The Blonde Duck said...

Aww! What fabulous dumplings and what a wonderful event.

Maggie said...

I love stew and dumplings Rosie. When I was a child this was a staple cooked both by my Nan and also my Mum. I too have always cooked this in the winter months and made this for my children. We need to get back to having more comfort food.

La Bella Cooks said...

That gravy looks so rich and decadent! I would love to give this stew recipe a try. I am always looking for those ones with the richest gravy. Looks wonderful, Rosie!

Lore said...

You had me at cheesy but cheesy dumplings? Those sound even more delicious! Lovely comfy stew for an important cause.

Maria said...

Cheesy dumplings...YUM!! Looks nice and comforting!

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

A delightful winter dish! Terribly good and highly satisfying!

cheers,

Rosa

The Caked Crusader said...

love the idea of cheesey dumplings...it's what dumplings have been lacking all this time!!!!

Rosie said...

Hi Val, thank you so much for hosting this event. It has been a pleasure to support you and Ivy in such a good cause :D

Hi Emily Rosie, I hope to blog more about English food as time goes on – dishes my mum taught me to cook many years ago now. Great news regarding your Cajun dish and a great event to support can’t wait to view your dish :D

Hi Prudy, thank you and I look forward to viewing your entry to this great cause :D

Hi Maria, thanks sweetie, you can’t beat a good stew I agree when the weather turns cold :D

Hi Peter, thank you – I think you are right, I should show more savoury dishes of my Country that my mum taught me to cook :D

Hi Silvia, oh I wish too you could join me in a bowl of this stew and dumplings – kisses back sweetie :D

Hi Beth, thanks sweetie and passing you over a bowl of stew now :D

Hi Sylvie, dumplings are wonderful in a stew and can be flavoured in so many ways I do hope you try them out sweetie :D

Hi T.B.D. thank you and yes got to agree a great event :D

Hi M, such a traditional dish that has been cooked for many years and I agree such comfort food. My children have also grown up on this traditional dish and still enjoy eating this during colder months :D

Hi Bridgett, the gravy is very rich to this stew – I do hope you’ll try this recipe out :D

Hi Lore, awe thanks sweetie and yes cheesy dumplings *heehee*

Hi Maria, awe thanks sweetie so kind of you :D

Hi Rosa, a lovely dish to ward off the cold and very British to show support for this great event :D

Hi T.C.C. these dumplings do taste great with cheese added even though they sound a little odd :D

Many thanks my dear friends for calling by and for all your wonderful comments!

Best wishes Rosie x

J.L. Danger said...

thats so amazing! I have been craving beef stew since yesterday~! I have been thinking about making it, and this just sealed the deal!

Rosie said...

Hi J.D. hope you are feeling better!! A good bowl of stew is a good pick me up - enjoy :D

Best wishes Rosie x

priscilla joy said...

this looks SO good!!! perfect for a fall/winter meal!

Coffee and Vanilla said...

Rosie,
I don't eat red meat but I would love to try your cheesy dumplings in some other stew or the chicken lentil soup I make often :)
I see some changes on your blog, nice... I will be changing theme shortly as well.

Ciao, Margot

Faery said...

Rosie thank you so much for your good wishes I feel better now :).
I LOVE this event I am going to participate with Arepas, a venezuelan bread made with corn flour...corn is for making food not for fuel
I love this stew looks great for this rainy weather we have here today

amna said...

Even though I don't eat beef, that looks delicious to me!!!

Cakelaw said...

This stew looks superb Rosie - it is still chilly in Melbourne at the moment, so this looks sooooo good right now.

Ivy said...

Hi Rosie and thanks for submitting a recipe for the WFD. I haven't been feeling well for a few days now and I am making a small effort to catch up with all the posts I've missed. Your dish sounds delicious.

Rosie said...

Hi ~Priscilla~, many thanks and yes I agree it really does warm you up on a cold day :D

Hi Margot, what a great idea to use these dumplings a chicken stew!! If I am honest here I normally pick out the meat and just eat the veggies to this stew. I used to be a vegetarian many years ago and even now I mainly eat white meat and fish but the family enjoy red meat so I have to give and take a little.

Hi Faery, I am so pleased to hear you are feeling much better sweetie!! A great event I agree and I really am looking forward to the round-up of what everyone submits & can’t wait to view your Arepas bread it sounds wonderful :D

Hi Nags, awe thanks sweetie and lovely to *see* you :D

Hi Cakelaw, awe thanks sweetie and perhaps you’ll be able to cook a good stew before it heats up in Melbourne :D

Hi Ivy, it is a great pleasure to support you and Val in this event which highlights what is going on in the world today with people starving and undernourished! I am sorry to hear you are not feeling well and I wish for a speedy recovery for you sweetie. Take care now hugs x

Many thanks my ‘dear’ friends for taking the time to call by and also for all your very kind words!

Best wishes Rosie x

Emily said...

Oh my goodness! That looks so warm and comforting. Perfect for fall and winter.

Finla said...

A re&al winter dish Rosie.
Here I make flemish beef stew with beer but then wiyhout the dumblings and the vegetables.
Should try this onece.

Rosie said...

Hi Emiline, thank you & this stew is good as you say for the fall & winter :D


Hi H.C. your stew sounds really scrummy :) I hope you will try this one with dumplings too :D

Many thanks Emiline & Happy Cook for taking the time to call by and also for all your very kind words!

Best wishes Rosie x

Dee said...

This is just the kind of tummy warming dish that's perfect for the event. Great entry!

Recipeswap said...

Hi Rosie .....this is a good recipe.

dabrah said...

Hi Rosie, I'm going to make this recipe this weekend for my brother and his wife and toddler. I'm really looking forward to tasting it myself.

test it comm said...

This sounds so good! I really like how cheese was worked into savoury beef stew!

Rosie said...

Thank you Dee, n33ma, dabrah & Kevin!

I hope you enjoy this dish as much as my family do dabrah :)

With best wishes Rosie x

dabrah said...

Hi Rosie, I did cook this dish for my brother and his wife, and it went down very well. It was the first time I'd ever made dumplings and also the first time I'd ever used suet, so I was a bit nervous, but they were really good and very light. The whole dish was absolutely delicious. Thank you for sharing this recipe.

Rosie said...

HI dabrah, *huge smile*, I am SO pleased you and your family enjoyed this dish and thank you for letting me know how it all went :) The dumplings can be interchanged with flavours to ring the changes whatever you wish to flavour them with.

Many thanks once again Rosie x

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

Today is World Food Day Rosie. Thank you once again for all your help in spreading the word about this global issue. The party starts now!!!!!

Rosie said...

I'm fully in Val and Ivy to the WFD party - many thanks hosting this great event ladies!

Rosie x

glamah16 said...

Its nice to see you do savory and this looks fantastic! Can I come over ?

Rosie said...

Of course you can coco anytime sweetie :) I plan adding a few more savory dishes soon.

Rosie x

Anonymous said...

Nice and comforting... And with guinness? sign me up.