Beef and Porcini in Stout with Tarragon Dumplings Recipe

This beef and porcini stew with tarragon dumplings is the perfect winter warmer - delightfully tender beef, earthy mushrooms and fluffy tarragon dumplings really make this meal such a treat. This casserole recipe is ideal dished up when you're cooking for a crowd and perfect served with steamed greens of your choice.

The best thing about this dish is that it keeps very well. Whether you've made too much and want to enjoy it a night or two later, or you need to make it ahead, you can keep it in the fridge for up to two days.

HOW TO MAKE BEEF AND PORCINI IN STOUT WITH TARRAGON DUMPLING

Ingredients

• 1.25kg chuck steak, cut into large pieces
• 2tbsp oil
• 500g mixed mushrooms, kept whole if small or halved
• 2 small onions, sliced
• 2 sticks celery, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 4tbsp seasoned flour
• 25g dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in 500ml hot water
• 500ml stout
• 250ml strong beef stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 75g suet and 150g plain flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• 25g tarragon, leaves chopped

Method

1. Heat the oven to 150C fan, gas 3. Brown the beef in batches, in 1tbsp oil; set aside. Add remaining oil; cook mushrooms until golden; set aside. Cook the onions and celery for 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and flour; return beef to the pan.

2. Drain porcini through a sieve; reserve liquid. Add these and the liquid to the pan with the stout, stock and bay; season. Bring to the boil, turn down to a simmer, cover and cook for 3 hours in the oven. Add the mushrooms, re-cover; cook for a further hour.

3. For the dumplings, mix the suet, flour, baking powder, tarragon and enough cold water to create a thick dough; shape into 8 balls. 4 Increase oven to 180C fan, gas 6. Add the dumplings, remove the lid and return to the oven for 15 minutes.