Here you go as promised, my recipe for a comforting Vegan Winter Stew and fluffy ‘Cheesy’ Herb and Suet Dumplings.
Ingredients for 4 portions:
1 x 400g can brown lentils
1tbsp Olive oil
6 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed/chopped
2 medium onions, peeled and chopped fairly small
2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
8 medium sized brown capped mushrooms, sliced
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped into 2cm chunks
1 large Parsnip, peeled and chopped as above
1 large Potato, peeled and chopped as above
2 cups peeled and chopped Celeriac
1.5 litres good vegetable bouillon, I use Marigold
1 Tsp Tamari Sauce or good Balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 Bay leaf
1/2 Tsp dried Sage
1/2 Tsp dried Thyme
Freshly ground Salt and Pepper to taste
For the dumplings:
1 + 1/3 cup SR flour
1/2 Tsp Salt
2 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
50g Vegetable suet
2 Tbsp fresh Parsley finely chopped
2/3 Cup Unsweetended Almond milk or other unsweetened non dairy milk.
Extra flour for hands to shape the dumplings
Method:
Preheat the oven to 200c (fan)
In a deep skillet or large heavy based ovenproof casserole dish gently sauté the onions and garlic in the Olive oil until soft.
Turn up the heat slightly, add the mushrooms and cook until turning slightly brown then add the rest of the vegetables.
This recipe is great for using up cooked leftover veg too, I’ve added all sorts to this stew including sprouts! A large batch of leftover roast red onions worked really well.
Stir in the Apple Cider Vinegar, mustard, and tin of drained lentils. Add freshly ground salt and pepper to taste and stir well for a few minutes before adding the made up hot stock which should just cover the veg.
Bubble away for a few minutes then transfer to a casserole if you’ve been using a skillet and put a lid on.
Whilst the stew is cooking you can make the dumplings.
Combine the flour, vegetable suet, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper and finely chopped parsley.
Stir in the Almond milk and bring together to make a light dough that will form a ball when rolled with your hands. Use extra flour to prevent it from sticking.
Makes 6-7 small dumplings about the size of a small apple.
After the stew has been cooking for around 45 minutes take out of the oven and carefully place the dumplings on the top.
Replace the lid and bake for another 15 minutes until the dumplings have risen before removing the lid and finishing off with another 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
This recipe is great for making adaptations; I haven’t made the same one twice yet!
You can add different herbs to taste, use beans instead of lentils, or top with mashed potato instead of dumplings.
Reheated the next day it’s really good with some grated cheese, or vegan ‘cheese’, the possibilities are endless!
Hope you enjoy making it your own.