Bev’s Beef Stew with Herbed Dumplings

This delicious, satisfying stew is a little time consuming but well worth the effort!

Stew:

4 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1 inch cubes

2 Tablespoons peanut or olive oil

4 thick sliced bacon strips, chopped (optional)

3 cups finely chopped yellow onions

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 bay leaf

5 ½ cups beef broth

14 ½ ounce can crushed tomatoes with added puree

6 medium carrots, peeled, cut into 1 inch pieces

3 medium rutabagas, peeled, cut into ¾ inch pieces

Dumplings:

2/3 cup milk, whole or 2%

2 large eggs

3 Tablespoons minced fresh chives

2 Tablespoons minced fresh Italian parsley

1 ½ cups unbleached, all purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

salt to taste

3 Tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot

Make the stew: Heat oven to 325°F. Sprinkle beef cubes with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large oven proof pot over medium high heat. Working in batches, cook beef until brown, stirring occasionally and scraping up browned bits. Transfer meat to bowl.

Add bacon (if using) to same pot and sauté until crisp, scraping up browned bits. Add onions, garlic, thyme and bay leaf. Cover and cook until onions are tender, stirring occasionally. Return beef and any accumulated juices to pot. Add 5 cups of the beef broth and crushed tomatoes with puree. Cover and bring to a simmer. Transfer pot to oven. Bake until beef is tender (about 1 hour), stirring occasionally. Add carrots and rutabagas. Cover; bake until vegetables are crisp tender, about 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until beef is very tender (25 minutes).

Prepare dumplings: Whisk milk and eggs in medium bowl to blend. Stir in chives and parsley and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl; add mix mixture, stirring just until blended.

Whisk remaining ½ cup beef broth and cornstarch/arrowroot in a small bowl to blend. Bring stew to a simmer over medium heat. Gradually stir cornstarch mixture into stew. Return stew to simmer, stirring until sauce thickens.

Spoon dumpling batter in 12 dollops atop simmering stew. Cover tightly; simmer until dumplings are puffed and toothpick inserted into center of dumplings comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Serve stew with dumplings. Serves 6.

Chef Bev Shaffer * Mustard Seed's Cooking School Director * January 2005

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