Irish Stew With Dumplings - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs lamb (neck or breast)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons bacon drippings
2 onions, peeled and sliced
stock or water, to cover
1 turnip, peeled and diced
1 stalk celery, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 cups potatoes, peeled and cubed
parsley sprig
Irish stew dumplings
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon bacon drippings
1/3 cup milk (up to 1/2 cup)

Preparation

For the stew: cut the meat into small pieces, season and dredge with flour.
Melt bacon drippings in a heavy skillet and brown the meat; add onions and cook until golden.
Add enough stock or water to cover meat.
Add turnip, carrots, celery and parsley; simmer for two hours.
Add cubed potatoes and cook more rapidly until potatoes are done.
To make the dumplings: sift dry ingredients together, cut in fat and add enough milk to give a smooth drop batter.
Drop by spoonfuls over the top of the stew (the stew should be kept boiling hot).
Cover the pot and allow dumplings to steam 15 minutes without lifting cover.