Mouthwatering Recipes
Braised steak casserole with dumplings
About as fiercely traditional as you can get... and the beef really melts in your mouth.
Ingredients
- 225g self-raising flour
- 110g shredded suet
- salt and fresh ground black pepper
- cold water, to mix
For the beef and onion filling
- 700g paganum yorkshire chuck steak, cut into 2.5cm cubes
- 3 onions, cut into quarters
- 1 tbsp beef dripping
- 1 1/2 tbsp plain flour
- 1/2 tsp dried mixed herbs
- 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp tomato purée
- 425ml beef stock
- 225g open-cap flat mushrooms, sliced
Method
- Start by preparing the suet pastry for the dumplings. Sift the flour into a large bowl, sprinkle in the suet, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and mix lightly.
- Add a little cold water and mix with a knife. When the mixture starts to come together, continue to mix lightly with your hands until it forms a smooth elastic dough that leaves the bowl clean.
- Leave the dough to rest for 5 minutes then shape into small dumpling-sized balls.
- To make the beef and onion filling, put the beef dripping into a large saucepan over a medium heat and fry the onion for several minutes to soften.
- Add the cubes of beef and brown lightly. Add the flour and stir well, then add the herbs. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and tomato puree followed by the stock, a little at a time. Add the mushrooms and simmer gently on the hob for about 2 hours, until the beef is tender.
- Set the oven to 200°C/gas 6. Transfer the mixture to the pie dish and cover with the suet dumplings. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the dumplings are golden brown. Serve immediately.
