Casseroles, stews, braises – they’re all so absolutely hearty and can be really affordable if you know how to shop for different cuts of meat.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
350g beef steak, either chuck, cross-cut blade or rump
100g (about one) sheep kidney, halved, membranes and fatty nodules (white bits) removed
2 tbsps plain flour
2 tbsps cooking oil
1 large onion, diced
½ tsp salt
Decent grind of black pepper
2 large carrots, diced
Dash of Worcestershire or soy sauce
1 bay leaf
200-250mls stock or water
Method:
- Cut beef into large bite size pieces and kidneys a little smaller. Dust meat in flour.
- Heat oil in a medium-size, heavy based saucepan and brown the onions. Add the floured meat and don’t disturb until some pieces (the ones on the bottom) are well browned.
- Season with salt and pepper, add carrots, a dash of either Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce, bay leaf and pour in enough stock or water to almost cover the meat. Put the lid on and bring to a simmer and cook gently over a low-medium heat until the meat is tender - approx 1.5 hours – or transfer to a casserole dish, cover tightly with foil and pop it in an oven at 170 C to cook for 1.5 hours. Cool overnight.
DUMPLINGS
Ingredients:
1 cup plain flour
50g butter
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
3 tb finely chopped parsley
½ cup milk (approx.)
Method:
- Rub butter into dry ingredients - flour, baking powder, salt - until it resembles breadcrumbs.
- Add chopped parsley and then mix in the milk bit by bit until you have a soft dough. Flour your hands and gently pinch tablespoonful sized balls of the dough, rolling each gently into a ball and dropping onto the simmering stew. Work quickly until all have been added.
- Replace the lid and cook for 10 minutes until the dumplings are light and fluffy and cooked through (check one by breaking it open).
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