Michael "Dog3" Lonergan wrote on 21 Jan 2007 in rec.food.cooking

I really didn't like the sounds of the meal I was going to make
tonight. I went out to epicurious.com and found this. This is what
I'll be making tonight. My variation us in parenthesis.

BEEF STEW WITH HERBED DUMPLINGS

For stew
4 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes (I'll be using
bottom round roast cut into cubes)
2 tablespoons peanut oil
4 thick-sliced bacon strips, chopped
3 cups finely chopped onions
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
5 1/2 cups canned beef broth (I have just enough beef stock thawing
right now)
1 14 1/2-ounce can crushed tomatoes with added purée

6 medium carrots, peeled, cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
3 medium rutabagas, peeled, cut into 3/4-inch pieces

For dumplings
2/3 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons minced chives
2 tablespoons minced fresh Italian parsley
1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
§ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cornstarch


Make stew:
Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325°F. Pat beef dry.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy large ovenproof pot
over medium- high heat. Working in batches, cook beef until brown,
stirring occasionally and scraping up browned bits, about 8 minutes.
Transfer meat to bowl. Add bacon to same pot. Sauté until crisp,
scraping up browned bits, about 5 minutes. Add onions, garlic, thyme
and bay leaf. Cover and cook until onions are tender, stirring
occasionally, about 10 minutes. Return beef and any accumulated juices
to pot. Add 5 cups canned beef broth and crushed tomatoes with purée.
Cover and bring to simmer.

Transfer pot to oven. Bake until beef is just tender, stirring
occasionally, about 1 hour. Add carrots and rutabagas. Cover; bake
until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 30 minutes. Uncover; bake
until beef is very tender, about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare dumplings:
Whisk milk and eggs in medium bowl to blend. Stir in chives and
parsley. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Sift flour, baking
powder and salt into large bowl. Add milk mixture. Stir just until
blended.

Whisk remaining 1/2 cup canned beef broth and cornstarch in small bowl
to blend. Bring stew to simmer over medium heat. Gradually stir
cornstarch mixture into stew. Return stew to simmer, stirring until
sauce thickens.

Spoon dumpling batter in 12 dollops atop simmering stew. Cover
tightly; simmer until dumplings are puffed and tester inserted into
center of dumplings comes out clean, about 15 minutes.

Serve stew with dumplings.

Serves 6.
Bon Appétit
March 1999


Michael

how did it thicken? I saw no mention of flour in the stew recipe...only
the dumplings.

Michael "Dog3" Lonergan wrote on 21 Jan 2007 in rec.food.cooking


Whisk remaining 1/2 cup canned beef broth and cornstarch in small
bowl to blend. Bring stew to simmer over medium heat. Gradually
stir cornstarch mixture into stew. Return stew to simmer, stirring
until sauce thickens.

how did it thicken? I saw no mention of flour in the stew
recipe...only the dumplings.

See above. I have not added it yet, the stew is still simmering and I
have to make the dumplings.

Michael

OOOPs!!