Hairy Bikers Dumplings For Casserole Recipes

CHICKEN CASSEROLE WITH HERBY DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Toss the chicken pieces with the flour and some salt and pepper, to coat them - it's easy to do this in a plastic food bag.
• Heat the oil in a casserole with a lid. Brown the chicken pieces well on all sides - you'll need to do this in batches. Remove all the pieces to a plate, and tip the onions, carrot, lardons, bay and thyme into the pan. Cook gently for 10 mins until the onion is softened.
• Return the chicken pieces, with any juices that have collected on the plate. Then pour in the red wine, 250ml water and tomato paste and crumble in the stock cube. Add a splash more of water if you need, until the chicken is almost covered. Bring to the boil, then cover with a lid and bake in the oven for 20 mins. Remove the lid and bake for another 10 mins while you make the dumplings.
• Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until it feels like fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the herbs with ½ tsp salt and some pepper. Drizzle over 150ml water, and stir in quickly with a cutlery knife to form a light dough. Use floured hands to shape into ping pong sized balls.
• Place the dumplings on top of the stew and bake for 20 mins more until the dumplings are cooked through.

BEEF STEW WITH HORSERADISH DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1. Trim any excess fat off the beef, and place in a large plastic bag with the flour and some seasoning. Close the bag and shake it really well to coat all the meat with the seasoned flour. Melt the dripping in a very large ovenproof casserole and throw in the beef and shallots. Give everything a good stir and cook for 10 mins, until starting to brown. Pour over the stock and stir - scraping bottom of the pan to extract all the flavour. Cover with a lid, transfer to the oven and cook for 2½ hrs, until the meat is tender and falling apart.
• Just before the beef cooking time is up, make the dumplings. Mix all the ingredients with 175ml cold water to form a heavy dough. Roll the dough into balls about the size of golf balls. Pop the dumplings into the casserole dish, leave off the lid and return to the oven. Increase heat to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and cook for 15-25 mins until the dumplings are puffed up, golden and cooked through.

BEEF & GUINNESS STEW WITH BACON DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• First, make the dumplings. Gently fry the bacon until crisp in a large lidded casserole dish. Stir in the thyme leaves, then tip into a bowl and leave to cool slightly. Add the flour and suet to the bacon, and stir everything together. Make a well in the middle, then add the egg yolk, parsley, ½ tsp pepper and 2 tbsp very cold water, and start to mix into a dough. Keep adding water until you a have a firm but pliable dough. Divide the mixture into eight balls and chill until needed.
• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Quickly clean the casserole dish with some kitchen paper, then heat the oil. Brown the meat really well in batches, then set aside. Tip in the onions or shallots, carrots and celery, brown well, then stir in the flour. Add the meat and any juices back into the dish, give everything a good stir, then pour in the stock and Guinness. Season, then tuck in the thyme and star anise and bring everything to a simmer. Cover with a lid, then cook in the oven for about 2 hrs until the meat is tender.
• Remove the stew from the oven and arrange the dumplings evenly on top. Put the lid back on and return to the oven for 20 mins, then cook for a final 10 mins with the lid off to brown the dumplings. Bring the dish to the table in all its glory. Spoon into bowls with cabbage and mash, to serve.