Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 160⁰C or gas mark 3.

2. Place celery, onions, carrots, peas, and herbs into a casserole dish or hob pot with the oil and butter.

3. Cook for 10 minutes until the vegetables are soft, stir in the flour, stock cubes, and tomato puree.

4. Brown the beef chunks in a separate pan.

5. Stir in 600ml of boiling water, add the beef and bring to a simmer.

6. Cover and put in the oven for 3 hours, or until the meat is very tender. Uncover and cook for a further hour until the gravy thickens.

7. About two hours before the stew is ready, start the dumplings.

8. Combine the flour, salt, and parsley in a food mixer.

9. Mix yeast and sugar in a separate bowl until it becomes almost liquid.

10. Add the water and milk to the yeast and mix.

11. While the flour, salt, and parsley are mixing, add yeast mixture, letting it knead until the dough comes away from the bowl.

12. Cover the dough with a damp towel for an hour in a warm place

13. Knead the dough again and make 8 dumplings. Let them ‘proof’ (rest to rise) for another half hour.

14. Boil dumplings in a pan for 20 minutes, remove, and serve immediately with the casserole.