Stew

How boring is stew!

Well it's boiled meat and veg, innit.

No actually, that's a white stew. White stews mean you don't brown the meat beforehand. Brown stews are where the ingredients are browned in oil, butter or both before the liquid is added and the stew is cooked.

I should explain that Mom only ever cooked white stews, and I found them boring for donkey's years. However, I got into stews a few years ago when I found myself hankering after one, and I've never looked back. I'll give you instructions for both white and brown stew below.

White stew of lamb
Take some stewing lamb. You don't need much and the quantity depends on whether you're using lamb with bones in such as neck, or not. About half a pound per person should do it. Put it in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and skim the scum off the top. Put a lid on the pan and simmer the meat for an hour. Add some leeks cut up small, potatoes, carrots and swedes or turnips or parsnips, and a good handful of pearl barley, a sprig of thyme and a stick of celery. Simmer for another hour. Check for seasoning and serve in soup bowls.

Brown stew of beef
Take some stewing beef. I like shin, but shoulder is good too. Again, about 8 oz per person. Cut up into 1 inch slices and dust in flour, to which you've added salt, pepper and a pinch of mustard powder if you have it. Melt some dripping (or use a tablespoon of oil) in a large saucepan and brown the cubes of beef. When they are brown on all sides, remove to a plate. Now cut up an onion into small dice, crush a clove of garlic and chop a carrot. Add those to the plate and stir round until they are brown too. Return the beef and its juices to the bowl. Now add enough beef stock, or beer, or red wine if you're really posh to cover the beef and bring to the boil. Cook very slowly on the hob for 2 hours, or cook in the oven at Gas 3/150C for 2 hours. You can, if you have stuff handy, add things like tomato puree, Hendersons Relish/Worcester Sauce or soy sauce to enrich the flavour. It doesn't really need it but it's nice to ring the changes.

Dumplings
And a stew isn't really complete without dumplings. Mom used to make her dumplings with margarine, which may explain why I didn't like stew and dumplings when I was at home. They are much better made with suet, and you can use vegetarian suet for them. Take 4 oz SR flour, 2 oz suet, a pinch of salt, some pepper, and mix them in a bowl. Run a little water in the bowl and mix it all together until it comes into a ball. Drop the mix in spoonfuls into the stew. If you're doing the stew in the oven, put the lid back on or leave it off for a crispy crust. If on the hob, put the lid back on and boil the stew for 10 - 20 minutes, by which time the dumplings should be soft and fluffy. Serve immediately. Dumplings don't wait, people do!

My stew got the mother-in-law seal of approval at Christmas. I didn't know she was going to have Boxing Day evening meal with us, and I was given 3 hours notice. So I decided instead of the lamb curry I'd anticipated, to make a stew because I knew the amount of stew I make would feed us all. "I haven't had stew for ages Chris" she said as she cleared her plate and went back for more!