Winter Warmer Recipe: Beef Stew in Red Wine with Herb Dumpling

The weather has been unpredictable lately, one minute it is sunny, the next it is windy and pouring down with rain. Cold evenings call for hearty and tasty dishes, we love stews and casseroles to keep us warm during the winter.

One pot dishes are convenient, easy to prepare and versatile as you can basically add any vegetables and meat you have in the fridge.  Our stews are full of vegetables, making them healthy comfort food. They are great to use up any leftover vegetables.

Beef Stew in Red Wine with Herb Dumpling Recipe

Ingredients for Stew:

• 450g diced stewing beef or braised beef
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 carrots, sliced
• 3 parsnips, sliced
• 3 onions, sliced
• 2 bay leaves
• Rosemary to taste
• 300ml red wine
• Beef stock
• Salt and pepper to taste

Herb Dumplings (make 12)

• 1 cup of plain flour
• 2 stalks of rosemary, finely chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
• 50g mature cheddar cheese, grated
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup water

Method:

Preheat the oven to 170C, gas mark 3.

Place the flour in a plate and season with salt and pepper, lightly dust the beef in the flour. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil on a medium heat in a large ovenproof and flameproof casserole dish with a lid, fry the beef until browned, around 2 minutes on each side. Transfer the meat to a plate and reserve.

Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in the casserole dish and add the onions, once they are softened, add the carrots and parsnips. Cook the vegetables for around 5 minutes until they are beginning to colour.

Add the beef to the casserole, pour in the red wine and beef stock, add the bay leaves, rosemary, salt and pepper. Put the lid on the casserole dish and cook in the oven for 2 and half hours. Half way through, check the dish, add water if necessary.

While the casserole is cooking, make the herb dumplings by mixing the flour, rosemary, garlic, cheese, salt and pepper. Add the water into the mixture, a spoon at the time, to form a soft dough. Break off small pieces to make 12 dumplings, shape the mixture into small balls about the size of a cherry tomato.

After the casserole has been cooking for 2 hours, drop the dumplings carefully on top of the meat and vegetables, cover with the lid and return to the oven for another half an hour or until the dumplings are cooked.

The casserole will be ready once the red wine sauce is thick and rich, meat and vegetables are tender and the dumplings are cooked.

The whole family enjoyed the winter warmer dish, the tasty beef stew in rich red wine sauce was complemented by herb dumplings, making it a perfect hearty meal in a cold evening.