Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the stew:

1 tablespoon olive oil
500g lean stewing beef (diced)
2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 leeks, sliced
450ml beef stock cubes
200g mushrooms, peeled and chopped
2 teaspoons of Cornflower

For the dumplings:

100g self raising flour
50g shredded suet
2 tablespoons of water

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the beef and cook until it has turned brown.
2. Then add the chopped onions, sliced leek and carrots and cook with the meat until they start to go soft (about 5 minutes).
3. Make up the stock and add to the meat and vegetables. Bring to the boil and leave to simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile pre heat the oven at 170C or gas mark 5.
5. Once the 15 minutes is up, transfer the stew to a casserole dish or clay bake and cover with the lid. Place in the oven. Leave for 1h 30m.
6. To make dumplings mix together the flour and suet. Add the water gradually and knead to make a firm but not sticky dough.
7. Roll this into about 8 balls.
8. At 1h 30m add the chopped mushrooms and dumplings to the stew and return to the oven without the lid. Turn the temperature up to 200C and leave for 30m.
9. Mix the cornflour with 2 teaspoons of water and stir it into the stew after it has finished cooking. This will thicken it. Be careful to remove the dumplings first.
10. Return the dumplings and serve your warming winter dish.