STEW & DUMPLINGS

Irish stew is traditionally made with lamb and potatoes, whereas
English stews tend to leave out the potatoes and have dumplings
instead. This stew has both because I don’t like giving up one for the
other, but either beef or lamb will do so use whichever one you prefer.
Also, Irish stew includes pearl barley which I’ve left out here,
but which could easily be added with the vegetables straight from
the packet, or blanched in boiling water first according to the
instructions on the box.
2 lb (1 kg) lamb neck fillet or stewing beef
4 large potatoes
2 turnips
1–2 onions
Carrots
11⁄2 pints (850 ml) lamb or beef stock
1–2 tbsp plain or gram flour
1 tsp gravy browning mixed with 1⁄4 mug of cold water
Black pepper
Lard or oil
For the dumplings
4 tbsp self-raising flour
2 tbsp suet
1⁄2 tsp salt
1 tbsp Herbes de Provence or mixed herbs
1⁄2 mug of cold water
Method
1. Trim the meat and season with a little black pepper while you
warm some lard or oil in a very large pan and preheat the oven
to Gas Mark 2–3 (160–170ºC).
2. Slice the onions and chop the vegetables into roughly same-size
pieces. (Not too small though or they’ll turn to mush in the oven.)
3. Seal the meat in the hot oil as quickly as you can and transfer
to a large casserole dish.
4. Fry the onions, potatoes, turnips and carrots together, stir in
the flour and cook for another couple of minutes before adding
the vegetables to the casserole with the meat.
5. Make 11⁄2 pints (850 ml) of stock with 1 stock cube and mix 1
big teaspoon of gravy browning in about 1⁄4 mug of cold water.
6. Stir the gravy mixture into the stock then pour the liquid over
the meat and vegetables.
7. Cover with a lid and cook in a slow oven for about 3 hours, or
until the meat is completely tender.
8. Make the dumplings by mixing the flour, salt, suet and herbs
together, gradually adding the cold water to make a soft but
not too sticky dough.
9. Form the dough into very small dumplings and place on top of
the stew.
10. Cook the stew for another 20 minutes or so without the lid,
until the dumplings are risen and slightly golden.