Dumplings

[Laotze]

Bought a huge pack of stewing beef at a good price yesterday and have made a lovely stew ...... but there was something missing! A nice fluffy dumpling would have gone down a treat on this cold rainy evening but I dont have any suet. Does anyone have a recipe for dumplings without suet?

[Hoddy]

You could try this - it's from Good Housekeeping's "Low -Fat Cooking" (not the most tactful Christmas gift ever). It's part of a recipe for chicken casserole, but I don't see why you shouldn't try it with beef.

125g self-raising flour
2.5ml baking powder
50g butter
15ml each chopped flatleaf parsley and fresh thyme

Sift the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt into a bowl. Rub in the butter, herbs and stir in 60ml of water to form a dough, then shape into twelve 2.5cm balls.
Place on a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper and cook at 200C / Mark6 for 15-20 minutes or until golden.
Add to the casserole and simmer gently for 5 minutes.

I should add that I haven't actually tried this .....
Good luck
Hoddy

[Wicce]

Easy. Measure out the amount of self-raising flour you want to use. Add a pinch of salt. Add dried or fresh chopped herbs or spices to taste. Rub in half the weight of the flour in butter. Add enough liquid (milk or water) to make a stiffish dough. mould dough into either balls or flat scone shapes and lob into the stew pan. The important bit is to put on a well-sealing lid and keep it on for about 30 minutes. Voila - dumplings. Bon appetit.
Kathryn

[Jill<br><br>Jill (99)]

How about making your stew into a Cobbler? Just make up plain scones and put your stew in the oven with the scones arranged round the edge. Bake until the scones are cooked. You could also add herbs to the scones.

Mmmm! Must put that onto our menu plan!

Jill (99)