Mum'S Beef Stew With Dumplings - cooking recipe

Ingredients

STEW
1 kg stewing beef
flour (for dredging)
2 -3 tablespoons olive oil
pepper
1 large onion, diced
2 -3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon thyme
1 pinch savory
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
2 -3 cups water
1 -2 bay leaf
1 cup wine or 1 cup beer
2 beef bouillon cubes
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (optional)
3 -4 carrots
2 celery ribs
1/2 rutabaga
1 large potato
2/3 cup frozen peas
salt
DUMPLINGS
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon seasoning salt
1 teaspoon italian seasoning, crushed
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
3 tablespoons shortening
3/4 - 1 cup skim milk

Preparation

Chop beef into 1\" cubes. Place some flour in a plastic bag shaking several cubes at a time until coated.
Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven until almost smoking; then add beef and pepper and brown all over.
Add onion, garlic, thyme, celery seed, savory and cook until the onion is translucent.
Add the wine or beer and cook for 5 minute Then add water and bring to a boil, scraping up browned flour from the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat, then cover and simmer for an hour.
Peel carrots, potato and rutabaga. Cut the carrots and celery into 1/2\" slices, and the potato and rutabaga into 1 1/2\" cubes.
Add to meat (adding extra water if needed), also adding bay leaves, bouillon and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes. (If making the dumplings, add them with 15-20 minutes of cook time remaining.).
Add peas and salt 5 minutes before serving.
DUMPLINGS: Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and cayenne. Add Italian seasoning and mix.
Using a pastry cutter, chop in the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.
Add enough milk to make a thick batter that can be mounded up in a spoon and dropped.
Drop the dough onto the stew (ensuring there is plenty of liquid in it), letting the dumpling rest on top. Cover tightly and cook without raising the cover for 15-20 minutes.