Rich Beef Stifado Stew with Herby Dumplings
By Bertolli
Published on 04 January 2023
The dumplings soak up all the delicious rich flavours of the stew.Time and servings
3 hrs 10 minsTotal time
6Servings
25 minsPrep time
2 hrs 45 minsCooking time
Ingredients
- 6 whole cloves
- 150 g of self raising flour
- 50 g of bertolli spread
- 400 g of shallots, peeled
- 800 g of braising steak, cut into chunks
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tbsp of tomato puree
- 750 ml of beef stock
- 250 ml of red wine
- 150 g of shredded suet
- 1 tbsp of coriander
- 1 tbsp of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 2 small cinnamon sticks
- 4 bay leaves
Method
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 170C/Gas 3. Warm a 22-26cm ovenproof casserole dish over a high heat. Add half of the Bertolli. When melted add the shallots and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until golden. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.Step 2
Add the remaining Bertolli to the pan. When melted, cook the beef in small batches until a rich mahogany colour. Remove with a slotted spoon and continue until all the meat is browned. Return all the meat to the pan.Step 3
Add the remaining stew ingredients. Season to taste and stir well to combine. Bring to the boil, then cover with a tight fitting lid and place into the oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and add the shallots to the pan. Re-cover and return to the oven for another hour.Step 4
About 15 minutes before the end of the cooking time start making the dumplings. Sift the flour and a generous amount of salt and pepper into a bowl. Add the suet and herbs and mix well. Gradually mix in up to 100ml of cold water (you may not need it at all) with a round-ended knife until the mixture comes together into a soft dough. Shape the mixture into 6-12 balls.Step 5
Remove the stew from the oven and increase the temperature to 200C/Gas 6. Gently place the dumplings onto the surface of the stew. Return to the oven, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes or until the dumplings are golden. Serve immediately with seasonal vegetables.