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Chianti and Beef Casserole

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
700g Bridge 67 braising beef, cubed
2 onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bay leaf
3 sprigs of thyme fresh
500ml Chianti red wine
400ml beef stock
Salt and pepper
25g dried mushrooms soaked in warm water for 20 mins and then drained
500g celeriac or butternut squash or sweet potato, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
100g mixed mushrooms, halved
For the dumplings
115g self raising flour
50g suet or lard
A pinch of salt
1 tsp mustard powder

Serves 6, Preparation time, 20 mins, cooking time – as long as possible (2hours min)

Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas Mark 2.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large casserole dish.

Add the beef and fry until browned, remove to a plate.

Add the remaining oil and add the onion, garlic, bay leaf, thyme sprigs and fry for 3 mins.

Return the beef to the dish and mix. Pour in the red wine, beef stock and season.

Add the soaked mushrooms, butternut squash/celeriac/sweet potato and carrot.

Bring to the boil and then cover and transfer to the oven. Bake for at least 11/2 hours until tender.

At this point, add the mushrooms to the stew.

For the dumplings, mix together the flour, suet, salt and mustard powder.

Mix in 100 -120ml of cold water to form a soft, sticky dough.

With wet hands, shape into 12 small round dumplings.

Add the dumplings to the stew, cover and return to the oven for a further 30 mins until soft and plump.

Serve with braised savoy cabbage and peas and either lovely mashed potatoes or fresh crusty bread.

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