Herb Dumplings with Beef Stew

The word “stew” cannot be traced back too far in English history. Instead we see words like “pottage” and “savory puddings” in its place. In Irish history we see it more often, but it usually references a lamb stew (hint - scroll down for a delicious recipe!). Dumplings, on the other hand, have a stronger foundation in UK cuisine. Dumplings, like their cousin the Yorkshire pudding, were intended to be served alongside meat dishes to help bulk up a meal for hungry families. The English are said to be the first to add herbs to dumplings and the Scots took it one step further and added flora like dandelion and nettle leaves to their dough - a celebration of Spring indeed!

Now, you may have noticed the seemingly backwards dish title with “dumplings” being the featured item. I wanted to change up the monotony of bowled foods I’ve been devouring; so I experimented with the original recipe. I kept the dumpling portion as is, but reduced the stew ingredients by 3/4. The result was a base of tender beef and vegetables almost entirely blanketed with a light, herbed dough. If you’d rather the stew be the star, just increase the stew ingredients by 1/4.

For the Dumplings:

1 c all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground sage

1/4 teaspoon ground thyme

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick), chilled and cubed

2 tablespoons whole milk

1 egg

Whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, black pepper, and herbs. Add the cubes of butter and rub into the dry mix with your fingers until it resembles coarse corn meal and all butter is rubbed in.

Whisk the milk and egg together and pour into flour mixture. Toss with a rubber spatula until the mixture is combined. Press plastic wrap on top of dough and refrigerate until needed.

For the Stew:

1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 pound chuck steak, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

1/2 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/2 can chicken broth (~7.5 oz)

salt and ground pepper, to taste

1 carrot, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 celery rib, cut into 1 inch pieces

2 red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1 inch pieces

Heat 1/2 tablespoon of oil in a Dutch oven/wide pot on high heat and sear the steak until crusty brown on both sides (~4-5 minutes). Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pot. Add chopped onion and cook over medium-low until softened. While stirring with a wooden spoon, scrape off browned bits from bottom of pot.

Add the flour and stir until combined. Pour in chicken broth and stir. Add salt and pepper and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened and bubbling. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hr. 15 min.

Add the vegetables to the pot and simmer for 45 min., stirring occasionally.

Remove dumpling dough from the fridge. With wet hands, form the dough into 1 inch balls. Drop them onto the stew and continue wetting hands as needed to prevent sticking. Cover the pot and simmer for another 30-45 minutes until the dumplings have puffed up and set. Press down lightly on each with your finger - they should be soft and bouncy.

*2-3 servings