Beef And Ale Stew With Parsley Dumplings - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 lb beef stew meat
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 None onions, peeled and sliced
2 cups vegetable stock
4 cups dark beer
3 cups carrots, peeled and sliced
8 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped from stems
1 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp skim milk
5 tbsp butter
1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, grated
2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350\u00b0F. Place the beef in a freezer bag along with 1/4 cup of flour and some salt and black pepper. Shake the bag until the beef is coated all over.
Heat the oil in an Dutch oven and saute the beef in batches for 5 mins until browned on all sides. Add the onions and saute for 3 mins. Add the stock and beer and bring to a boil. Stir in the carrots and thyme. Cover and cook in the oven for 2 - 2 1/2 hours, until the beef is tender.
In a bowl, mix 1 1/4 cup flour and the baking powder. Stir in the milk, butter, cheese, and parsley and knead until smooth. Form into 8 dumplings and add to the stew. Return to the oven, uncovered, and cook for 30 mins.