Stew With Parsley Dumplings Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 bacon slices, chopped
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 5 ½ cups beef broth, divided use
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes with added puree
• 6 medium carrots, peeled, cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• Parsley Dumplings (recipe follows)

How to make Stew With Parsley Dumplings

1. Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil in heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
3. Working in batches, cook beef until browned, stirring occasionally and scraping up browned bits, about 8 minutes.
4. Transfer meat to bowl.
5. Add bacon to same pot.
6. Fry until crisp; add onions, garlic, thyme and bay leaf.
7. Cover and cook until onions are tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
8. Return beef and any accumulated juices to pot.
9. Add 5 cups beef broth and crushed tomatoes with puree.
10. Bring to a simmer; cover and cook until beef is just tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 ½ hours.
11. Add carrots and potatoes and season with salt and pepper to taste.
12. Cover and continue simmering until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.
13. Whisk remaining ½ cup beef broth and cornstarch in small bowl to blend.
14. Gradually stir cornstarch mixture into stew.
15. Return stew to simmer, stirring until sauce thickens.
16. Spoon dumpling batter in 12 dollops atop simmering stew.
17. Cover tightly; simmer until dumplings are puffed, about 12 to 15 minutes.
18. Do not lift lid during the first 12 minutes of cooking, as this will cause the dumplings to be heavy, rather than light and fluffy.

Notes