Ginger Pig’s Clod of beef stew with herb dumplings

For the stew:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1.5kg (3lb 5oz) clod of beef, cut into large pieces
• 2 onions, peeled and fi nely sliced
• 1 tbsp chopped oregano leaves
• 4 bay leaves
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 200ml (7fl oz) red wine
• 1.2 litres (2 pints) beef stock
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 4 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 4 celery sticks, sliced
• 4 parsnips, peeled and sliced

For the dumplings:

• 200g (7oz) self-raising flour
• 115g (4oz) suet
• leaves from 1 small bunch of parsley, chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/gas mark 2. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof pan over a medium-high heat, add the meat and brown well all over. Remove the meat from the pan and add the onions. Sauté gently until soft but not coloured. Return the beef to the pan and add the herbs, seasoning, wine and stock. Gently bring to a boil. Cover and cook in the oven for 2 hours. Remove, cool and refrigerate overnight.
2. The next day, bring the casserole to room temperature and preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/gas mark 2. Put the stew in the oven and gently warm through. When the stock has just melted into liquid again, remove from the oven, sift in the flour and stir. Mix in the carrots, celery and parsnips, cover and place in the oven for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, make the dumplings. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well, adding just enough water to bind the dough without its becoming sticky. Divide into 12 and roll each piece into a ball. Remove the casserole from the oven and arrange the dumplings in a single layer on top. Cover and cook in the oven for a further 30 minutes or until the dumplings and the stew are piping hot.

Credits

Ginger Pig Meat Book by Tim Wilson and Fran Warde. Published by Mitchell Beazley.