A delicious beef and peppercorn stew topped with Parmigiano Reggiano dumplings, or as an extra treat I have added an additional topping recipe of parmesan cheese straws!! both are equally as yummy. This time of year I crave warming dishes like stews and I am obsessed with dumplings. These are not traditional dumplings though they are more like little cheesy scones they are full of parmigiano Reggiano parmesan. I have been saving this beef and peppercorn stew recipe up my sleeve for a while, its our favourite and I make it all the time. The idea came to me as I love steak with pepper corn sauce so I decided to mix the two in this stew. we enjoyed it sat by the fire with a glass of wine and some bread.

you can make it in your slow cooker or use a lidded cast iron pan, or even in a instant pot. its so easy to make and your family will love it.

Recipe

Beef and pepper corn stew

• 400g beef stewing steak
• 3 rashes of smoked bacon
• 2 carrots chopped
• 2 leeks chopped finely
• 1 red onion
• 3 large potatoes peeled and cut into cubes
• 200g mushrooms
• 1 small swede peeled and cut into cubes
• 200ml red wine
• 3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp. soft brown sugar
• 1 pack of good quality beef stock
• thyme
• salt
• pepper
• 1 packet of peppercorn sauce
• 2 tbsp. corn flour
• 200ml water
• 80g grated parmigiano reggiano parmesan

Preheat the oven to 180c. In a lidded cast iron pan brown the beef with a little olive oil then remove and set aside. Add the onion and sauté until soft then add the bacon and leeks and stir until the bacon is cooked. Deglaze the pan with the wine  and add the beef stock. Add the carrots and swede and potatoes and mushrooms and put the beef back in. then add the pepper corn sauce, salt pepper and corn flour and brown sugar and parmigiano reggiano. then add the balsamic vinegar and place the lid on and cook for one hour, stir well then put the lid back on and cook for another hour. Add 200ml hot water and mix then cook for another 45 minutes/ 1 hour until the meat is tender then add the dumplings (see below) and cook for another 25/30 minutes.

alternatively use a slow cooker or instant pot pressure cooker and brown the meat in the same way, then remove the beef and Sautee the onion in oil then add the leek, bacon and fry until cooked then add all the remaining ingredients except only add 150ml of water, once the slow cooker has done, reduce for about 30 minutes. then pour into an oven safe dish and top with the dumplings and cook for 25/30 minutes.

Dumplings with parmigiano Reggiano

• 350g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 120g cold butter diced
• 130ml milk (plus more)
• 150g grated parmigiano reggiano parmesan plus more for top.
• salt, pepper
• splash of milk for brushing
• thyme

rub together the butter and flour and baking powder then add the grated parmesan and mix then add some salt and pepper to season and add the milk and mix with a spoon, you want the mixture to be like a wet dough that you can form into balls to you may need to add a few tbsp. more milk. flour your hands and roll into small balls and place on top of the stew. Brush the tops with milk and add some more parmesan and some thyme and sprinkle over some pepper and salt. Bake for 30 minutes.

alternatively you can top it with

Parmesan cheese straws

• I sheet of puff pastry
• 160g grated parmigiano reggiano parmesan plus more to add to the top
• salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp. thyme leaves

if you want to try it topped with cheese straws, grate 1 third of the parmesan on the work surface then roll out the puff pastry on top of it, then add half of what is left on one side and add salt and pepper and some thyme and fold the dough over then add the last of the parmesan on top and roll out a bit to make the cheese stick to the pastry, cut into strips and twist. use some of the off cuts to line the edge of the dish then place the twists across the top and press down then brush with a beaten egg. grate on some more parmesan and add some more salt and pepper and bake at 180c 350f for 40 minutes.