Bulking out beef casserole

[graysor]

I want to stretch my beef stew a bit further, but I’m not sure what works well? My usual go to of beans or lentils don’t seem quite right in a traditional stew.
What do you use?

Carrots, baby onions and dumplings.

carrot, swede, pearl barley, dumplings

Taters as well. With the leftovers (if there are any ) cook some pasta and dollop it in, sprinkle cheese on top and whack in the oven.

Potatoes, mushrooms, any firm veg, barley, dumplings.

A selection of ~ Mushrooms, whole small onions, carrots, potatoes, dumplings, cobbler topping, and at this time of the year chestnuts.

Pearl barley and dumplings

Pearl barley is deliciously warming and creates a really good texture. I find lentils a bit gritty and beans don’t fully integrate. Barley feels like it was made to go with a casserole. Then celery, carrots, celeriac, leeks, turnips, shallots. Top off with fluffy parsley dumplings.

Carrots, potatoes, parsnips, baby mushrooms, baby onions, dumplings

Baby potatoes is what I usually use. Carrots and large chunks of parsnip and onion.

Potatoes. Put some in at the start and they will break down and thicken the sauce. Then put a few more in about half an hour before the end and they will hold their shape and be nice.

Dumplings

Swede! Love swede. Just sucks up all the beefy flavour, yum

all of the above plus serve in a giant Yorkshire pudding with a big dollop of mashed potatoes. Yum!

Top off with fluffy parsley dumplings.

Ive tried watching so many tutorials and all I end up with are stogey lumpy messes, my mum used to make amazing dumplings but never got the chance to ask her how to make them the way she did

JustAnotherPoster00 4 oz SR flour, 2oz suet & 5 tablespoons of cold water.
Mix together and form dumplings with the minimum amount of effort, dust your fingers will flour, but be really gentle with them. They make look a bit like lumps of goo, but they will cook out ok.
Add to pot of cooking stew, and either finish off on the hob or into a hot oven with lid on for 20 mins, then remove it for further 10 mins to let them brown off.

hot oven = pre-heated oven! Gas 5.

Thanks ifailed i'll give them a try

JustAnotherPoster00 don't thank me, thank my Gran! It was she who told me to handle them as little as possible.