Harry Potter Beef Stew & Herb Dumplings

Not exactly haute cuisine, but you can't do better than this for a hearty and satisfying comfort food. The humble dumpling has been around for centuries. The Scots used to dump nettle leaves, hawthorn buds, and dandelion leaves into their dumplings- sounds more like a witch's brew than a food. Tastes have surely changed.

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% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

To make the dumplings, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, black pepper, and herbs. Add the pieces of butter and rub with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse meal and no powdery bits remain.

Step 2

Whisk the milk and egg together and add to the flour mixture. Toss with a rubber spatula until the mixture begins to clump together. Cover with plastic wrap on top of the dough and refrigerate until needed.

Step 3

To make the stew, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a Dutch oven or wide pot and add the meat in batches, searing on both sides over high heat for 4 to 5 minutes until crusty brown, and transferring each batch to a dinner plate. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet. Add the chopped onion and cook over medium-low heat until softened, scraping up the fond (browned bits) from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.

Step 4

Add the flour to the pot and stir until combined. Pour in the chicken broth and stir until well combined. Add the salt and pepper and the meat along with its accumulated juices to the pot and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened and bubbling. Reduce to a simmer and simmer the meat for 1½ hours.

Step 5

Add the carrots, celery, and potatoes to the pot and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Remove the dumpling dough from the refrigerator. Wet your hands and form the dumplings into 1-inch balls, dropping them onto the hot stew in the pot as you form them. Wet your hands as needed to prevent sticking. Cover the pot and simmer another 30 minutes until the dumplings have puffed up and feel set when pressed lightly with the fingertips, though they will be very soft.