1.2kg chuck, stewing or casserole beef steak, trimmed and cut into 5cm (2in) chunks
4Tbsp.
olive oil
2 large onions, sliced
300ml
beef stock
500ml
ale
1
bay leaf
4
sprigs fresh thyme
200g
button mushrooms, halved if large
None
2 large carrots, cut into 5cm chunks
For the dumplings
100g
plain flour
1tsp.
baking powder
50g
butter
1Tbsp.
fresh parsley, finely chopped, plus extra to garnish
1tsp.
fresh thyme, leaves picked
50g
extra mature Cheddar cheese, grated
Directions
Step 1
Put the flour in a large mixing bowl and season. Toss a third of the beef in flour to coat, shaking off excess. Heat 1tbsp oil in a large casserole over medium heat. Fry meat until browned all over. Set aside. Repeat with the remaining meat using 1tbsp oil each time. Add 75ml water to pan,
scraping up brown bits.
Step 2
Reduce the heat. Add remaining oil and onions to pan. Cover and cook for 15min until soft, adding a splash of stock if dry.
Step 3
Return beef to pan with stock, ale and herbs. Bring to boil. Turn down heat, partially cover and simmer for 2-3hr until tender.
Step 4
Add the mushrooms and carrots; simmer for 30min.
Step 5
Meanwhile, make dumplings. Heat oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6. Mix all ingredients, apart from cheese, in a bowl with plenty of seasoning, or
pulse in a food processor until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add cheese and mix in to form larger flakes, then sprinkle over 1–2tbsp water to bring the dough together. Roll into 6 balls and dot around stew leaving a 2cm gap between them. Put into oven uncovered and cook for 20min until dumplings are puffed and golden. Sprinkle over extra parsley, if you like, and serve.
An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).
