Student Stew (Beef) Optional Dumplings.

Details:     Prep Time =  15 minutes.     Cooking Time = 6-8 hrs on low.      Serves = 4.

My lovingly named student stew a simple dish stick it in and walk away. This dish was named as I have a friend whose daughter has started uni and has no idea how to feed herself. A quick lesson LOW- HIGH and she can now feed herself quite cheaply and  can batch cook or share cooking in her halls. Every student house should have one.

I learnt recently that it is better to leave the skin on a carrot and just give it a quick scrub. The skin has lots of good stuff we need so why peel it off. How easy is that. I also grate a carrot as I find it thickens the sauce.  It appears to cooks down to become the sauce. More hidden goodness.

Ingredients

NB when preparing ingredients those in the same colour can be mixed in the same bowl as they are used in the cooking process at the same time. Those in black are to remain separate.

• 2 large potatoes cut into bite sized chunks.
• 2 carrots skin on, one grated one chopped.
• 1 tin tomato’s 400 g.
• 1 Onion chopped.
• 500 g Diced Beef.
• 1 tbsp Tomato puree.
• 1 bay leave.
• 2 tsp mixed herbs.
• 400 ml beef stock. 2 stock cubes.
• 2 fresh chilies pierced. (optional) gives a fresh taste.

Dumplings.

• 200g Self raising flour.
• 100g beef suet.
• 2 tsp mustard powder.
• season
•  5 tbsp ish of water.

Method

Always lightly oil the Hot Pot before use this helps with cleaning and preservation of the Hot Pot.

1. Put the potato’s, carrots, tomatoes, onion, beef, tomato puree, bay leave, mixed herbs,  and season in the Hot Pot/Slow cooker. Turn on low.
2.  Pour in the stock Stir well , now  if using add the chilies on the top cook for 6-8 hrs on low or 4-6 on high. About 40 minutes before you want to eat make the dumplings. Remove the chilies now and discard.

If you’re not adding dumplings serve with bread.

Now For Dumplings:

1. Mix the flour, suet, mustard powder and season. Stir all together.
2. slowly add in the water and mix until a dough don’t make it sticky so add water slowly. Use your hands.  break your dough in half and half again until you have 8 balls.
3. Add to the Hot Pot turn on high and cook for 35-45 minutes until risen.

I serve this straight from the pot a classic one pot meal.

NB: This is posted under Milk/Egg/Soya free.

to convert this to a Healthy Bites see here for tips. http://www.hotpothoney.co.uk/healthy-bites-in-the-slow-cooker/