Basic beef stew with dumplings

Basic Stew Dumplings

These dumplings can be made with any stew. They’re shown here with a basic beef stew cooked in a pressure cooker that I posted last week.

This recipe was originally published as “Dumplings for Stews and Boiled Meats” in “The Basic Basics Pressure Cooker Cook Book” by Marguerite Patten in 1977.

Ingredients

100 gms or about 3 1/2 ounces of self raising flour. You can also use plain or all purpose flour with 1 teaspoon of baking powder added.

50gm or just under 2 oz of shredded suet, butter, or dairy free margarine.

Water

Method

Rub the suet or butter with the flour until it resembles a fine breadcrumbs.

Add just enough water to make a firm dough.

Break into pieces the size of a walnut and roll into balls.

If desired, add some extra stock or water to your stew. How much will depend on the number of dumplings you are making.

Place your stew on the stove and heat to a simmer.

Put the dumplings on top and place the lid on the saucepan.

Cook until the dumplings have risen and are cooked all the way through.

Toad in the hole. Sausages baked in Yorkshire pudding batter.

Toad in the Hole

Sausages baked in Yorkshire Pudding batter. Serve with baked apples and carrots or baked beans for a quick meal, a definite favourite with the kids! :)

Ingredients

8 large pork or beef sausages

30 gm pork or beef dripping or lard

1 cup self raising flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/4 cups milk

1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs

Freshly ground black pepper

Method

Put the sausages in a shallow ovenproof dish or baking tin with the dripping or lard and bake in a hot oven (220 degrees C or 425 degrees F) for 5 to 10 minutes, turning the sausages occasionally to brown on all sides.

Meanwhile, make the batter. Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre and put in the beaten eggs and half the milk. Mix the flour into the eggs and milk, gradually drawing flour in from the sides. Stir in remaining milk and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon or wire whisk to make the batter smooth. Stir in the dried herbs and pepper to taste.

Pour the batter into the dish or tin with the sausages and continue to bake in a hot oven for a further 40 to 45 minutes or until the batter has risen and is brown and crisp. Serve immediately.