Marita's Beef Stew and Herb Dumplings

Serves: to serve 4

Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Cook Time: 2 Hours 30 Minutes

Ready In: 2 hrs 50 mins

FOR THE BEEF STEW

1¾ lb - beef shin or good quality stewing steak

2 tablespoons - duck or goose fat

2 tablespoons - plain flour (all-purpose flour)

1 level tablespoons - English mustard powder

3 medium - onions

1¾ pints - beef stock

4 - carrots

2 - swedes (rutabagas, yellow turnip or neep)

2 sticks - celery

3 - bay leaves

- salt and pepper

FOR THE HERB DUMPLINGS

4½ oz - self-raising flour (self-rising flour)

1 teaspoon - baking powder

2 oz - shredded suet

- salt and pepper

1 tablespoon - dried mixed herbs

Peel and dice the onions, peel the carrots and cut into large chunks (about 4 chunks per carrot), peel and cube the turnips (or swedes) and finely dice the celery.
Stewing steak is a cheaper cut of meat, but try and get decent quality without too much gristle or fat. Carefully remove any remaining gristle and fat and trim the beef into 1½" (4cm) cubes. Spoon one tablespoon of the flour in to a mixing bowl and add the mustard powder. Add the meat cubes, completely coating them with the seasoning. (Add more flour and mustard if required)
Heat the duck fat in a pan (you can use goose fat or beef dripping or vegetable oil if you prefer, but duck fat is actually more healthy and tastes better) and brown the beef quickly on all sides. Add the diced onions and stir until both the meat and the onions take on a good colour. Season with salt and freshly-ground black pepper and stir in the second tablespoon of plain flour. Stir in the stock and bring to the boil. Season again to taste, cover and gently simmer for one hour. Add the carrots, celery, turnips (swedes) and bay leaves and simmer very gently (covered) for a further one hour.
As the stew approaches readiness, prepare the dumplings... sieve the flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl and using your hands, mix in the suet, salt, freshly-ground black pepper and mixed herbs. Slowly add 3 tablespoons of water to the mix to create a soft, but not sticky dough. If you overdo it, add a little extra flour to dry it out a bit.
Lightly flour your hands and roll the dough into eight small balls. Lower them carefully into the stew, cover the pot again, and cook for a further 15 - 20 minutes. Your dumplings should be plump and moist and cooked all the way through. I personally prefer my dumplings a little crusty on the top, so I leave the pan lid off for this last 15-20 minutes.
Serve hot with Creamed Potatoes ... they help soak up that delicious gravy.