Okay, you guessed it. This recipe came about when I had leftover roast beef I needed to use along with a sourdough starter that needed to be fed. The result was an easy, tasty beef stew topped with puffy, fluffy sourdough dumplings. The dumplings were easy and quick to make and probably would have been even fluffier if I hadn't squashed them a bit with my pan lid (yes, I need a taller lid/deeper pan!). Nonetheless, the dumplings were quite good with plenty of sourdough tang, a little dried dill, and some grated Parmesan for extra flavor. The stew part of the recipe came together quickly with chopped vegetables, the pre-cooked and chopped beef, and a few pantry ingredients. The stew needs to cook for 30-45 minutes before adding the dumplings to ensure that the vegetables are tender and for the flavors to meld. Once you add the dumplings, you'll need to let the mixture cook another 20 minutes or so. This is definitely a home-style, comfort food type recipe. It's also a great way to stretch that roast you cooked earlier in the week to create a new dinner. Enjoy!
Sourdough Dumplings With Beef Stew -- Serves 4
Dumplings
1 cup of sourdough starter/discard
1 large egg
2 tablespoons of canola oil
2 tablespoons of milk
1 cup of all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of dried dill
2-3 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese
In a large bowl or measure mix together well the discard, egg, oil, and milk. Stir in the flour, salt, baking soda, dill, and Parmesan cheese until blended. Let the mixture sit while you make the stew.
Beef Stew
1-2 tablespoons of canola oil
4-6 chopped medium-sized red potatoes (you can other potatoes)
1/4 cup (a small rib or so) of chopped celery
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 - 1 cup of chopped carrots
2 cups of chopped, cooked roast beef
1 - 2 cloves of chopped garlic
2 cups of beef broth (or water mixed with 2 teaspoons of beef "Better Than Bullion")
1/2 cup of water
1-2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
2-3 teaspoons of minced dried parsley
2 tablespoons of ketchup
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh parsley to sprinkle, optional
In a large skillet or chef's pan heat the oil over medium heat. Add the potatoes, celery, onion, and carrots and saute them together for 8-10 minutes or until they start to soften. Add the cooked beef and garlic and stir them into the mixture for a minute or two. Stir in the beef broth, water, Worcestershire sauce, dried parsley, and ketchup. Cover the mixture, turn down the heat to a simmer, and let the stew cook for 30-45 minutes or until the vegetables and beef are almost tender (they'll continue to cook with the dumplings). Taste the stew and add salt and pepper to your taste. Drop 6 portions of the dumping batter, each about 1/4 cup, on top of the stew, spacing the dumplings an inch or two apart (they'll expand). Spritz your pan lid with a little non-stick cooking spray and cover the stew and dumplings, leaving the lid just a little off the pan to allow some of the steam to escape (1/4-1/2-inch is fine). Let the stew and dumplings cook for about 20 minutes or until the dumplings have puffed up and the stew meat and vegetables are tender. You can insert a pick in a dumpling to test them. The pick should come out clean. Serve the dumplings on top of the stew or spoon the stew over the dumplings. Either way is good! You can also sprinkle on some fresh parsley, if you have it.
