Beef Stew with a Dumpling & a Dollop of Mash 🥩🍲🥔

Step 2: The “Cloud” Dumplings

1. While the stew simmers, mix the flour, salt, and suet (or butter) until it looks like breadcrumbs.

2. Add water a tablespoon at a time until a soft dough forms. Roll into golf-ball-sized rounds.

3. The Steam: About 20 minutes before serving, drop the dough balls directly into the simmering stew liquid. Cover the pot tightly. Do not peek! The steam makes them fluffy; if you lift the lid, they’ll turn into lead weights.

Step 3: The “Dollop” (The Mash)

1. Boil the Yukon Golds until tender. Drain and let them steam-dry for a minute.

2. Mash thoroughly, then fold in the butter and cream. You want this mash to be thick and “pillowy” so it can hold the weight of the stew.

3 Tips for the “Triple Carb” Victory

• The Well: When plating, create a large “well” or crater in your dollop of mash. Ladle the stew directly into the center so the gravy pools in the potato.

• Dumpling Texture: If you like a bit of a “crust” on your dumplings, take the lid off for the last 5 minutes of cooking and pop the whole pot under the broiler to brown the tops.

• Herbaceous Mash: Since the stew is very savory, add a handful of fresh chives to your mashed potatoes to provide a bright, oniony contrast.