Editor's note: This selection is coincidentally from around Easter a couple of years back and once again I am fully in favour of mixing two of the best things to happen to cooking - cheese, and dumplings. For the meat-eaters too it's worth having a read since shin beef is enjoying a resurgence - it's two for the price of one - tender beef and fantastic dumplings!
Stew and Dumplings …
… actually it's slow cooked shin beef steaks with Parmesan dumplings.
Shin beef used to be considered an old fashioned cut of meat – it has become more fashionable of late. It is perfect for slow cooking – it has connective tissue which is broken down over a long cooking time resulting in tender meat, full of flavour.
The weather is messing with everyone at the moment – Easter has just been and gone and it hasn't exactly been kind - we are still walking round wearing sweaters and two pairs of socks and so not in the mood to surrender our comfort food yet awhile.
I hope, in the nicest way, that what follows is my last “comfort” recipe for some while :
Steak, Gravy and Parmesan Dumplings
Serves 4
1kg shin beef – cut into thick steaks
glug of rapeseed oil
2 cloves of roasted garlic
500g Passata
1 tbsp tomato paste
2tsps soft light brown sugar
2 tbsps soy sauce
250ml red wine – I used Chianti
300ml water
2 beef stock pots
salt and black pepper
Using a large frying pan heat the rapeseed oil and seal the steaks on both sides, seasoning with salt and black pepper. Set the steaks aside in the slow cooker.
Add the garlic, tomato paste, sugar, soy and stock pots and fry gently so that the tomato paste is cooked out and the stock pots melted combining all the ingredients. Add the red wine and bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer, add the water and the passata bring back to the boil then tip over the steaks in the slow cooker. Cook for 4-6 hours on low.
You don't have to do anything with the steak and gravy, if you leave it overnight – covered of course - in a cool place all that will happen is that the flavours have time to develop and it'll taste even better.
The perfect supper to make ahead.
Two for the price of one …
… the dumplings to go with the steak and gravy, or
... a recipe for a veggie bowlful requiring only a spoon and a boxed set!
Either way ideal if you're in the mood to put your feet up and relax. I love minimum effort that gives maximum deliciousness.
Here's the dumpling recipe :
Parmesan Dumplings
In a large bowl, mix together
100g (4oz) self raising flour
50g (2oz) vegetarian suet
pinch of salt
15g grated Parmesan cheese
add 5 tbsps of ice cold water – 100ml approx
– enough to give a
firm but pliable dough. Divide into 8 dumplings – 6 if
you'd like big ones!
30g grated Parmesan cheese to garnish
Pre-heat oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6.
Add the dumplings to the steak and gravy and sprinkle the 30g of parmesan cheese over the dumplings and cook for 30 minutes.
Serve in a warmed bowl. For extra decadence if you've got leftover mashed potato in the fridge, warm it through place in warmed bowl, place steak on top with a generous helping of gravy, add a dumpling – or even two.
You can cater for the veggies too.
Baked Mushrooms in Alfredo Sauce
Serves 2
500g chestnut or portabellini mushrooms -
quartered
Place the mushrooms on a baking tray that has sides and bake in a pre-heated oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6 for 10 minutes so that the mushrooms release their liquor – drain and set aside.
Place the mushrooms in a small casserole dish measuring 7x24x5 cms ish. Pour over a batch of Alfredo Sauce – see “The hot idea” for the recipe. Place the dumplings into the mushrooms and sauce. Sprnkle with the remaining Parmesan, cover with large pieces of pleated foil and bake in a pre-heated oven as before, for 30 minutes and piping hot.
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