HERBS FOR BEEF STEW RECIPES

Steps:

• Season the flour with a good pinch of salt and pepper, then toss the beef in the seasoned flour to coat

  Cook the beef in batches in 1 tbsp of oil in a large frying pan over high heat, turning occasionally, for 5-10 minutes or until brown all over. Transfer to a slow cooker

  Cook the vegetables, garlic and mushrooms in the remaining oil in the pan over a medium heat for 5-10 minutes, until vegetables begin to brown. Stir in the herbs, tomato purée and chopped tomato and cook for a couple of minutes. Add to the beef in the slow cooker

  Pour in the stock and cook for 4 hours on high (or 6 hours on low), until the meat is very tender

  To make the dumplings, combine all the flour, suet and herbs in a bowl and add enough milk to just bring it together. Season with salt and pepper. Roll into 6-8 small balls

  Stir the stew, remove the bay leaves and season to taste

  Evenly top the surface of the stew with the dumplings. Cover and cook for an additional hour with the lid on

  Serve topped with the combined parsley and garlic if using. 

Steps:

• Pour the just-boiled water into a heatproof measuring jug, add the stock cube, tomato purée and yeast extract. Stir well until the cube has dissolved and set aside.
• Put the beef, bacon and vegetables in a slow cooker, sprinkle over the flour and add the salt, herbs and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Toss together. Add the stock mixture and stir well.
• Cover with the lid and cook on low for 8–10 hours, until the beef and vegetables are tender. Serve the beef stew with mashed potatoes.