Slow cooked pork with Calvados and

… Parmesan Dumplings

Use a combination of roasted veggies as a base for this dish – parsnips, carrots, potatoes – whatever your favourites are! Prepare root vegetables of a similar size so that they roast at the same time.

This is perfect for a supper party!

Slow cooked pork loin steaks with

Calvados cream sauce

600g/1lb 5oz pork loin steaks – 6 steaks, trimmed

glug of rapeseed/Canola oil

salt and black pepper

generous sprinkle of dried herbs – sage or

thyme

2 tsps of garlic paste – optional

500ml/1 pint approx vegetable stock – use a stock pot if you're

not using your own stock

Heat the oil in a large frying pan until hot. Seal the loin steaks on both sides, add salt and black pepper, garlic and herbs. Set aside the steaks in the slow cooker then add your stock to the residual juices in the frying pan, bring to the boil and slow cook for 3 hours.

Before you begin to make your sauce, time for the leftover veggies – try and make sure they are of a similar size. Place in a foil tray and drizzle with rapeseed or similar oil and season with salt and black pepper. Pop into a pre-heated oven 200c/180fan/Gas 6 for 25 minutes to allow them to finish roasting and become crisp.

For the sauce, you'll need approximately 200ml of stock from the cooked pork steaks - strain, cover and fridge until cold and ready for use. Freeze the remainder of the stock.

Calvados cream sauce

15g/¾ oz unsalted butter

15g/¾ oz plain flour

1 tsp garlic paste or 1 clove, crushed

glug of Calvados

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

200ml/7 fl oz stock

300ml/½ pint/10 fl oz double cream

salt and black pepper

Melt the butter, take the pan off the heat, add the flour and whisk. Return to the heat and cook out the flour for 2/3 mins, stirring continuously – add the garlic paste and mustard and then, on a high heat, add the Calvados and cook for 1-2 mins. Add the cold stock straight into the sauce and whisk until smooth, then cook on a low heat for 10 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.

Add the cream and simmer for 5 minutes.

Serve in large bowls, veggies first then the pork and drizzle with sauce and for the crowning glory pop a dumpling on top – yum!

Enjoy!

Good, old fashioned Stew and Dumplings

… actually it's slow cooked shin beef steaks with Parmesan dumplings.

Shin beef used to be considered an old fashioned cut of meat – it has become more fashionable of late. It is perfect for slow cooking – it has connective tissue which is broken down over a long cooking time resulting in tender meat, full of flavour.

What follows is the penultimate “comfort” recipe :

Steak, Gravy and Parmesan Dumplings

Serves 4

1kg shin beef – cut into thick steaks

glug of rapeseed oil

2 cloves of roasted garlic

500g Passata

1 tbsp tomato paste

2tsps soft light brown sugar

2 tbsps soy sauce

250ml red wine – I used Chianti

300ml water

2 beef stock pots

salt and black pepper

Using a large frying pan heat the rapeseed oil and seal the steaks on both sides, seasoning with salt and black pepper. Set the steaks aside in the slow cooker.

Add the garlic, tomato paste, sugar, soy and stock pots and fry gently so that the tomato paste is cooked out and the stock pots melted combining all the ingredients. Add the red wine and bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer, add the water and the passata bring back to the boil then tip over the steaks in the slow cooker. Cook for 4-6 hours on low.

You don't have to do anything with the steak and gravy, if you leave it overnight – covered of course - in a cool place all that will happen is that the flavours have time to develop and it'll taste even better.

If you leave it overnight then re-heat in a pre-heated oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6 and for 15 minutes then add the parmesan dumplings and cook for 30 minutes. (The Parmesan Dumplings recipe is on the blog - “The dumplings … continued”)

The perfect supper to make ahead!

Now for a “comfort bowl” …

… and it's perfect with dumplings!

I know there are gazillions of soup recipes out there – this is one of my absolute favourites. It's versatile too since you can chuck in whatever you like and make it your own.

Carrot, Coriander and Chickpea Soup

500g Charlotte potatoes, peeled and diced

1 large onion, finely chopped

4 large carrots, peeled and diced

2 stockpots – vegetable in my case but

chicken if you prefer

1 litre of water

1 tsp mild curry powder

1 heaped tsp ground coriander

salt and black pepper

Drop of rapeseed oil

1 can chick peas, drained and rinsed

Using a large saucepan, soften the onion and carrot in a drop of rapeseed oil for approximately 5 minutes on a low heat, stirring occasionally. Add the curry powder, coriander and black pepper and cook the spices with the onion and carrot for 2 minutes so that the flavours are released.

Add the stockpots plus 500ml of the water and simmer until the pots have melted.

Add the diced potatoes and the remaining 500ml of water. Bring to the boil then simmer for 10 minutes until the carrot and potatoes are cooked. Taste, then add salt to personal taste.

Set aside to cool.

Place 3 ladles of soup in a liquidiser/food processor and blitz until thick. Add this back into your soup and stir well – check that the soup is a consistency that suits your preference. If it's too thin, repeat the ladles as above. Add the chick peas, heat and serve.

By blitzing the ladles of soup – you are using the potatoes as a thickening agent and so no artificial thickening is required. You are left with a soup that has visible, chunky vegetables and of course the chick peas.

Note to self – don't be tempted to put the potatoes in with the carrots and onions when softening in the oil. The natural starch that is released from the potatoes means that they will cement themselves to the bottom of your saucepan – not a pretty sight – not to mention the wrecked soup.

Don't forget what I said … tear off a sheet of foil large enough to overlap the pan, push down slightly and then secure with the lid. Make sure your soup is simmering gently before you add the dumplings and seal with foil. 20 minutes later you'll have dumplings the size of which you wouldn't believe.

Now for the ultimate zhuzh!

The dumplings ... continued

Or you could have a posh version …

Parmesan Dumplings

In a large bowl, mix together

100g (4oz) self raising flour

50g (2oz) vegetarian suet

pinch of salt

15g grated Parmesan cheese

add 5 tbsps of ice cold water – 100ml approx

– enough to give a

firm but pliable dough. Divide into 8 dumplings – 6 if

you'd like big ones!

30g grated Parmesan cheese to garnish

Pre-heat oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6.

Add the dumplings to a soup or (for example) a goulash and sprinkle 30g of parmesan cheese over the dumplings and cook for 30 minutes.

Serve in a warmed bowl – delicious!

Here goes … the dumplings!

You've got a choice!

Dumplings made with suet have more texture to them. If you prefer light and fluffy then probably without suet would be better for you. If you've never sampled this delicacy then the only way is to make them both ways and decide for yourself.

Suet Dumplings

100g self raising flour

50g vegetable suet

pinch of salt

60ml of ice cold water

A generous pinch of dried mixed herbs - optional

Mix the flour, suet and salt with the water – you want to achieve a firm dough with some give.

Divide into eight and shape into balls.

Place on top of your casserole or soup, simmer for 20 minutes. Ensure that the casserole or saucepan has a tight fitting lid.

Dumplings sans suet

140g cold unsalted butter

250g self raising flour

salt and black pepper

150ml cold water

Generous pinch of mixed herbs – optional

Back to basics – rub the butter into the flour – aka the rubbing in method – until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the herbs and a pinch of salt and black pepper. Add the cold water and mix quickly to form a dough. Dust your hands with flour and divide the dough into twelve and form into balls.

Add to the top of your casserole, soup or stew and bake for 20 minutes, as above.

You might think this is a lot of fuss about nothing – I suppose you have to be a certain age – give them a try, see for yourself!

Winter warmers!

More comfort food is required and I immediately think of soup. You may think boring but as with lots of dishes it's what you serve with that elevates. In my opinion soup on its own just isn't right – it needs zhuzh and by that I mean either good rustic bread, garlic or otherwise for dunking purposes or a step up – what about a dumpling?

Before I begin with the recipe I think it's worthwhile repeating a tip.

Traditionally dumplings are placed on top of a casserole with a tightly fitting lid. Casseroles have a thicker consistency than soup and obviously, usually, slow cooked in the oven. Soup simmers on top of the hob and saucepan lids “sit” on top of the pan and are not what I'd describe as “tightly fitting”.

Here's my tip - tear off a sheet of foil large enough to overlap the pan, push down slightly and then secure with the lid. Make sure your soup is simmering gently before you add the dumplings and seal with foil. 20 minutes later you'll have dumplings the size of which you wouldn't believe.

A bowl of soup with dumplings – bring it on!

Here goes …

Now for the dumplings!

In my humble opinion dumplings are the food of the Gods – the ultimate accompaniment in a casserole, soup or stew.

Before we begin … a couple of tips

Here's the thing … traditionally dumplings are placed on top of a casserole with a tightly fitting lid. Casseroles have a thicker consistency than soup and obviously, usually, slow cooked in the oven. Soup simmers on the hob and a saucepan lid “sits” on top of the pan and is not what I'd describe as “tightly fitting”. Here's my tip - tear off a sheet of foil large enough to overlap the pan, push down slightly and then secure with the lid. Make sure your soup is simmering gently before you add the dumplings and seal with foil. 20 minutes later you'll have dumplings the size of which you wouldn't believe!

If you've any dumplings leftover for the next day here's a bonus – microwave them on high for 10/15 seconds – light as a feather – note to self – in future make enough dumplings for second helpings to microwave!

Dumplings made with suet have more texture to them. If you prefer light and fluffy then probably without suet would be better for you. If you've never sampled this delicacy then the only way is to make them both ways and decide for yourself.

Suet Dumplings

100g self raising flour

50g vegetable suet

pinch of salt

60ml of ice cold water

A generous pinch of dried mixed herbs - optional

Mix the flour, suet and salt with the water – you want to achieve a firm dough with some give.

Divide into eight and shape into balls.

Place on top of your casserole or soup, simmer for 20 minutes. Ensure that the casserole or saucepan has a tight fitting lid.

Dumplings sans suet

140g cold unsalted butter

250g self raising flour

salt and black pepper

150ml cold water

Generous pinch of mixed herbs – optional

Back to basics – rub the butter into the flour – aka the rubbing in method – until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the herbs and a pinch of salt and black pepper. Add the cold water and mix quickly to form a dough. Dust your hands with flour and divide the dough into twelve and form into balls.

Add to the top of your casserole, soup or stew and bake for 20 minutes, as above.

Or you could have a posh version …

Parmesan Dumplings

In a large bowl, mix together

100g (4oz) self raising flour

50g (2oz) vegetarian suet

pinch of salt

15g grated Parmesan cheese

add 5 tbsps of ice cold water – 100ml approx

– enough to give a

firm but pliable dough. Divide into eight dumplings – six if

you'd like big ones!

30g grated Parmesan cheese to garnish

Pre-heat oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6.

Add the dumplings to the soup and sprinkle 30g of grated parmesan cheese over the dumplings and simmer for 20 minutes.

Serve in a warmed bowl.

Beyond scrumptious!

Coming up … it's that time again

Save time and money – Part 9

If you fancied a change why not serve dumplings instead of potatoes with the goulash … with or without suet. Personal taste really – dumplings made with suet have more texture to them. If you prefer light and fluffy then probably without suet would be better for you. If you've never sampled this delicacy then the only way is to make them both ways and decide for yourself.

Suet Dumplings

100g self raising flour

50g vegetable suet

pinch of salt

60ml of ice cold water

A generous pinch of dried mixed herbs - optional

Mix the flour, suet and salt with the water – you want to achieve a firm dough with some give.

Divide into eight and shape into balls.

Place on top of your casserole or soup, simmer for 20 minutes. Ensure that the casserole or saucepan has a tight fitting lid.

Dumplings sans suet

140g cold unsalted butter

250g self raising flour

salt and black pepper

150ml cold water

Generous pinch of mixed herbs – optional

Back to basics – rub the butter into the flour – aka the rubbing in method – until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the herbs and a pinch of salt and black pepper. Add the cold water and mix quickly to form a dough. Dust your hands with flour and divide the dough into twelve and form into balls.

Add to the top of your casserole, soup or stew and bake for 20 minutes, as above.

You might think this is a lot of fuss about nothing – I suppose you have to be a certain age – give them a try, see for yourself!

Or you could have a posh version …

Parmesan Dumplings

In a large bowl, mix together

100g (4oz) self raising flour

50g (2oz) vegetarian suet

pinch of salt

15g grated Parmesan cheese

add 5 tbsps of ice cold water – 100ml approx

– enough to give a

firm but pliable dough. Divide into 8 dumplings – 6 if

you'd like big ones!

30g grated Parmesan cheese to garnish

Pre-heat oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6.

Add the dumplings to the goulash and sprinkle 30g of parmesan cheese over the dumplings and cook for 30 minutes.

Serve in a warmed bowl – delicious!

Or you could choose a cobbler …

Editor's April Pick #2: Comfort Photos

Editor's note: Let's  stop for a moment and take in these photos of the aforementioned recipes. If the photos of the dumplings = both single serve and party size - don't whet the appetite then you've either just eaten or you need to scroll again. Hearty food that definitely benefits stretchier pants being worn! 

Comfort photos!

Here's another thought – if you have dinner guests who have hearty appetites you could transfer a portion of the Alfredo with a Parmesan dumpling into a individual pot complete with lid – serve as a starter but bear in mind your main should balance.

Trust me if you want comfort food look no further but a word of warning – these comfort food ideas are not for the calorie conscious nor meant for everyday more healthy eating. Perfect however for a weekend treat and hey rules are meant to be broken!

Editor's April Pick #1: Stew and Parmesan dumplings

Editor's note: This selection is coincidentally from around Easter a couple of years back and once again I am fully in favour of mixing two of the best things to happen to cooking - cheese, and dumplings. For the meat-eaters too it's worth having a read since shin beef is enjoying a resurgence -  it's two for the price of one - tender beef and fantastic dumplings!

Stew and Dumplings …

… actually it's slow cooked shin beef steaks with Parmesan dumplings.

Shin beef used to be considered an old fashioned cut of meat – it has become more fashionable of late. It is perfect for slow cooking – it has connective tissue which is broken down over a long cooking time resulting in tender meat, full of flavour.

The weather is messing with everyone at the moment – Easter has just been and gone and it hasn't exactly been kind - we are still walking round wearing sweaters and two pairs of socks and so not in the mood to surrender our comfort food yet awhile.

I hope, in the nicest way, that what follows is my last “comfort” recipe for some while :

Steak, Gravy and Parmesan Dumplings

Serves 4

1kg shin beef – cut into thick steaks

glug of rapeseed oil

2 cloves of roasted garlic

500g Passata

1 tbsp tomato paste

2tsps soft light brown sugar

2 tbsps soy sauce

250ml red wine – I used Chianti

300ml water

2 beef stock pots

salt and black pepper

Using a large frying pan heat the rapeseed oil and seal the steaks on both sides, seasoning with salt and black pepper. Set the steaks aside in the slow cooker.

Add the garlic, tomato paste, sugar, soy and stock pots and fry gently so that the tomato paste is cooked out and the stock pots melted combining all the ingredients. Add the red wine and bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer, add the water and the passata bring back to the boil then tip over the steaks in the slow cooker. Cook for 4-6 hours on low.

You don't have to do anything with the steak and gravy, if you leave it overnight – covered of course - in a cool place all that will happen is that the flavours have time to develop and it'll taste even better.

The perfect supper to make ahead.

Two for the price of one …

… the dumplings to go with the steak and gravy, or

... a recipe for a veggie bowlful requiring only a spoon and a boxed set!

Either way ideal if you're in the mood to put your feet up and relax. I love minimum effort that gives maximum deliciousness.

Here's the dumpling recipe :

Parmesan Dumplings

In a large bowl, mix together

100g (4oz) self raising flour

50g (2oz) vegetarian suet

pinch of salt

15g grated Parmesan cheese

add 5 tbsps of ice cold water – 100ml approx

– enough to give a

firm but pliable dough. Divide into 8 dumplings – 6 if

you'd like big ones!

30g grated Parmesan cheese to garnish

Pre-heat oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6.

Add the dumplings to the steak and gravy and sprinkle the 30g of parmesan cheese over the dumplings and cook for 30 minutes.

Serve in a warmed bowl. For extra decadence if you've got leftover mashed potato in the fridge, warm it through place in warmed bowl, place steak on top with a generous helping of gravy, add a dumpling – or even two.

You can cater for the veggies too.

Baked Mushrooms in Alfredo Sauce

Serves 2

500g chestnut or portabellini mushrooms -

quartered

Place the mushrooms on a baking tray that has sides and bake in a pre-heated oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6 for 10 minutes so that the mushrooms release their liquor – drain and set aside.

Place the mushrooms in a small casserole dish measuring 7x24x5 cms ish. Pour over a batch of Alfredo Sauce – see “The hot idea” for the recipe. Place the dumplings into the mushrooms and sauce. Sprnkle with the remaining Parmesan, cover with large pieces of pleated foil and bake in a pre-heated oven as before, for 30 minutes and piping hot.

Editor's Pick #2: Two for the Price of One

Editor's note: It's not often I miss cheese, but when I do it's whilst reading this blog! I was looking up Autumnal themes, foods and the like and this one caught my eye. Possibly an oversight on my part but I would never immediately go to zhushing up an accompaniment such as the dumpling but when it sounds as delicious as this recipe does, it's something that would definitely elevate a meal. Especially on a damp weeknight when you need a pick-me-up.

Two for the price of one …

… the dumplings to go with the steak and gravy, or

... a recipe for a veggie bowlful requiring only a spoon and a boxed set!

Either way ideal if you're in the mood to put your feet up and relax. I love minimum effort that gives maximum deliciousness.

Here's the dumpling recipe :

Parmesan Dumplings

In a large bowl, mix together

100g (4oz) self raising flour

50g (2oz) vegetarian suet

pinch of salt

15g grated Parmesan cheese

add 5 tbsps of ice cold water – 100ml approx

– enough to give a

firm but pliable dough. Divide into 8 dumplings – 6 if

you'd like big ones!

30g grated Parmesan cheese to garnish

Pre-heat oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6.

Add the dumplings to the steak and gravy and sprinkle the 30g of parmesan cheese over the dumplings and cook for 30 minutes.

Serve in a warmed bowl. For extra decadence if you've got leftover mashed potato in the fridge, warm it through place in warmed bowl, place steak on top with a generous helping of gravy, add a dumpling – or even two.

Soup's up!

This is deliberately a veggie soup – in the interests of balance – a rest from meat for the week.

Carrot, Coriander and Chickpea Soup

1lb/500g Charlotte potatoes, peeled and diced

l large onion, finely chopped

4 large carrots, peeled and diced

2 stockpots, vegetable or chicken

1 litre of water

1 tsp mild curry powder

1 heaped tsp coriander

Salt and black pepper

Rapeseed oil

1 can 400g/240g drained weight can of chickpeas -

(14oz/8½oz) drained and shucked

(optional – see notes to follow)

with veggie dumplings

Soften onion and carrot in drop of rapeseed oil for approx 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add curry powder, coriander and black pepper, cook the spices with the onion and carrot for 2 minutes so that the flavours are released.

Add the stockpots, plus 500ml water and simmer until the pots have melted.

Add the diced potatoes and the remaining 500ml of water, bring to the boil then simmer for 10 minutes until the carrot and potatoes are cooked. Taste, then add salt to personal taste.

At this point you can set aside the soup until you are ready to serve.

Before serving pop 3 ladles of soup into a food processor/liquidiser and blitz. Tip the thickened soup back into your remaining soup, add the chickpeas, heat and serve.

By blitzing a portion of the soup no artificial thickening is required. The potato is your thickener and the joy of using a variety like Charlotte is that those left in the soup retain their shape - together with the other veggies and the chickpeas it is definitely a soup of substance!

the notes

Without being too ridiculous try and keep your carrot, onion and potato a similar size so that they cook evenly.

Don't put potatoes in with the carrots, onion and oil – the starch that is released from the potatoes means that they will cement themselves to the bottom of your saucepan!

If you want to shuck your chickpeas i.e. remove the outer husk, have a look at the blog for Sunday 18^th March 2018 – Veggie Rendang – the shucking and the photos – The shucking stuff which gives you chapter, verse and photos.

The savoury equivalent to the “cherry on the top of the cake” is a dumpling. Vegetarian suet is out there!

the dumplings

100g/4oz self raising flour

50g/2oz vegetarian suet

pinch of salt – mixed together

Add 100ml cold water, gradually to mix

and form into balls – 4 large or 8 small

Bring your soup to a simmer then add the dumplings, cover and continue to simmer for 20 minutes.

Then there's the Croque ...

A hug but the dumpling doesn't fit in a mug …

We had the soup and a dumpling each with the fresh bread and butter for supper. I packed up boxes of the soup and took a risk – I divided the remaining dumplings into quarters and packed into a microwave box – it matters not that they have been lifted from the soup and have soggy bottoms!

My friend called in to collect … I explained that the dumplings were a risk but hey, it was worth a shot.

What did my friend and her husband think?

They loved their lunch – the bread in particular and made it last two days. An unexpected bonus – the tiny leftover dumplings were microwaved on high for 10/15 seconds – light as a feather – note to self – in future make enough dumplings for second helpings to microwave.

It's hard for me to critique my own food but I loved all of it, the bread in particular – it does exactly what it says in the recipe albeit tweaked sensibly and it looks amazing – the Food Stylist did a good job!

Now for the sweet treat …

The soda bread verdict continued …

Where did I send the bread for taste testing? Remember my friend whose husband has been very ill and the get well gift? A perfect mid week treat me thinks. Hmm, I can't just send bread - I decided to make some soup – what better vehicle for a freshly baked loaf.

I chose my favourite veggie soup – carrot, coriander and chick pea except that I decided to ring the changes and added cannellini beans instead of the chick peas. If you're interested in the recipe then check out the soup label.

Then I thought how wonderful would a dumpling be too. Veggie suet is a truly wonderful product.

100g/4oz of self-raising flour

50g/2oz of vegetable suet

large pinch of salt

80ml cold water

Mix the flour, suet and salt with the water

I divided into four and shaped into balls

Drop into simmering soup and cook for 20 minutes

Here's the thing … traditionally dumplings are placed on top of a casserole with a tightly fitting lid. Casseroles have a thicker consistency than soup and obviously, usually, slow cooked in the oven. Soup simmers on top of the hob and saucepan lids “sit” on top of the pan and are not what I'd describe as “tightly fitting”. Here's my tip - tear off a sheet of foil large enough to overlap the pan, push down slightly and then secure with the lid. Make sure your soup is simmering gently before you add the dumplings and seal with foil. 20 minutes later you'll have dumplings the size of which you wouldn't believe!

Soup, dumplings with freshly baked bread and butter for supper.

Sounds like a plan … what happened next

Comfort photos!

 

 

Here's another thought – if you have dinner guests who have hearty appetites you could transfer a portion of the Alfredo with a Parmesan dumpling into a individual pot complete with lid – serve as a starter but bear in mind your main should balance.

Trust me if you want comfort food look no further but a word of warning – these comfort food ideas are not for the calorie conscious nor meant for everyday more healthy eating. Perfect however for a weekend treat and hey rules are meant to be broken!