So how do you make a stew?

[bresha]

I really don’t know were to start. And how do you make dumplings?

in this weather?!

you need suet for dumplings. If you buy a box of Atora suet, there is a dumpling recipe/method on the back.

As to making a stew, depends on what sort of a stew you want to make !

Get a cook in sauce! Beef Tonight Steak & Ale one is yummy (and you can joosh it up by adding mustars or sour cream etc near the end)

dumplings no idea. easy stew:

1 onion, 1 carrot per person, 200g meat or lentils, stock cube.

chop onion and carrots. make up stock cube as on packet. heat veg oil. soften onion in oil over medium heat until transparent (really helps if you do this). turn up heat, add meat and stir until at least part of it is browned. add carrots. stir. add stock. bring to boil. turn heat right down, put on lid, leave for anything from 30 mins to 90 mins.

Either you can bake potatoes at the same time, or add chopped potatoes with the carrots (nicer IMO). Serve with some separate green veg or throw green veg in for last 30 mins or so.

Dear God in Heaven.....

md, what? have I been gullible again?

No AC (you one paranoid lady!!!)
Just staggered that someone doesn't know how to do this,equally that someone else thinks that drowning meat in the industrial slurry that is a cook in sauce is a stew!!!!

Moondog - you would be amazed......
Am making lamb stew for tonight: lamb, carrots, onions,leeks, tin tomatoes, stock, herbs and spices (poss. paprika to make it goulashy). Chuck it in a casserole dish in a low oven for a few hours and serve. Easy peasy.

my mum used to make it with lamb's neck (yuk but tasted soo good) don't know if you can get it now though. anyway boil meat slowly for about hour then add whatever vegetables you like, i also thicken it with bisto if its too runny (and we put in scotch broth soup near the end yum).

dumplings are two part sr flour to one part suet, water to bind it, roll into small balls,put in pot - they take about 20 mins to rise.

i think this is right!

You can still buy neck fillet, it's brilliant for slow cooking. Good value too.

where do you get it butchers? its never in the supermarket anymore.

Right I tend to use braising steak which I chop into cubes. You can also use casserole steak etc. I fry this in my slow cooker with onions and garlic and then add flour to coat it (too lazy to toss in flour beforehand). I then add to the pan some or all of the following - chopped potates (don't bother peeling), carrots, parsnips, swede, leek, celery, turnip, mushrooms, plus sufficient water to just about cover it, then add a dash of worcester sauce and some herbs and cook in the slow cooker for the rest of the day. This makes a good traditional stew.

Then I put it onto the hob and add dumplings made using southeastastra's method for the last 20 minutes.

Thewy sell neck fillet in my local Tesco.

Stew

You need 3 key things:

• meat
• veg
• liquid

Always brown your meat first (I personally tend to you stewing beef chopped into cubes)Take the meat out once browned

Onto veg: brown some onion (one should do it). Add some garlic if you like. Put the meat back in and add about a tablespoon of flour (acts as a thickener).

Onto the liquid - I like to add a bit or red wine or ale at this point just to add some extra flavour

Then back to the veg. Add a bunch of whatever you want - carrot, parsnips, leeks, potatoes, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, swede - whatever.

Then back to the liquid. Use some beef stock or veg stock or just water. Add in a bunch of fresh or dried herbs. Put the lid on and simmer away either on the stove top or in the oven for a few hours.