Beef stew & dumplings

Serves 5 people

Ingredients

Stew

2 large onions

1 medium swede

1 pack of celery

4 medium leeks

Carrots

4 bay leaves

2 cubes of beef stock

Salt & Pepper

2 lbs of stewing or braising steak

Dumplings

4oz self raising flour

2oz suet

pinch of salt

cold water, approx, 5 tablespoons

1. Tenderise the meat. Cut the meat into small size cubes, about an inch thick, place in frying pan
2. Peel and chop onions into medium size chunks and place into frying pan
3. Cook on a high heat until meat is browned
4. Add the meat to a large stock pot, add the bay leaves, good pinch of salt and pepper, stock cubes and cover with hot water
5. Bring back to the boil, then simmer for 3 hours. Keep stirring and if water level drops, add more hot water
6. Chop the leeks, carrots, celery and swede into cm cubes and add to the stock pot, add more hot water to cover, bring back to the boil, then simmer for 25/30 minutes
7. Now make the dumplings. Add all the dumpling ingredients together, divide into 8 balls, then place on top of the stew for 20/25 minutes
8. You can thicken the stock with cornflour before serving, if you like

Stew can be served in a bowl served with crusty bread, or with mash potato, the choice is yours.

Cottage Pie

Ingredients:

800g potatoes (about 2lb or 6 medium sized potatoes)
1 pack (500g) of lean minced lamb
300g leeks (about 3 leeks)
1 white onion finely chopped
1/2 pint Lamb stock
1 tin chopped tomatoes
Peas and Carrots or another vegetable of your choice (runner beans also goes well with this)
Gravy

1. Preheat the over to 200C (gas mark 6 or 400F)
2. Chop the potatoes into small chunks and boil for about 15 minutes, or until soft - you add in the leeks to the potatoes and cook for a further 3-5 minutes until they are also soft. If you don't have a large enough pan to fit it all in, you can boil the leeks separately and add together when you mash them.
3. Once the potatoes are on, dry fry the lamb mince in a large frying pan (I use a deep one or you could use a wok).
4. Once the mince has gone brown, drain off the excess fats as this is a nice low fat meal!
5. Add in the onion and fry for another 3-5 minutes
6. Put the peas and carrots on to boil for 5-7 minutes.
   
7. Add the stock and tomatoes then simmer this for about 10 minutes until the juices have all soaked into the meat and it's not all liquid any more
8. Take the potato and the leek and mash together, I also add a knob of butter and a dash of milk, salt and pepper to taste - this stops the mash being too dry.
9. Transfer the meat/tomato to an ovenproof dish and use a spoon to push it into the bowl
10. Add in a layer of peas and carrots (you don't have to do this, but I prefer to as it makes enough for 4 people and there is only me and hubby so we get 2 meals from this and the veggies are now included!) If you prefer you can serve the veggies on the side instead.
11. Add the mashed potato and leeks to the top and use a fork to ensure there is an even covering and also it makes lovely ridges that brown in the oven.
12. Transfer to the over and cook for a further 15-25 minutes (until the potato is nice and brown - mine takes 20 minutes but I have a convection over which is super fast!)
13. Serve with gravy!

Please note: this dish can be frozen if you make too much, to re-heat later take out of the freezer and leave to thaw for a few hours (best to take it out in the morning) and re-heat in the oven (cover with tin foil so it doesn't burn) for about 40 minutes at the same temp as above.