Phil Vickery: Tuck into succulent braised beef with horseradish dumplings.

Serves: 4 persons
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: About 2 hours

Ingredients
600g chuck steak, cut into 4cm pieces, leave all the fat on
4 tbsp vegetable oil
2-3 tbsp plain flour
1heaped tbsp tomato puree
2 beef stock cubes, crumbled
3 tbsp Worcester sauce
roughly 1 pint of boiling water
2 tsp fresh chopped thyme
2 tsp sugar
1 small onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and roughly cubed
salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the dumplings
225g self raising flour
2 inches salt
115g beef or vegetable suet
4 tbsp chopped parsley
1 medium egg
2 tbsp grated horseradish
a little cold water

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 160°C, Gas 3.
2. Using kitchen paper pat the meat dry then heat the 4tbsp of oil in a deep casserole dish or ovenproof pan.
3. Next add half the meat and cook until nicely browned all over.
4. Repeat the process so all the diced chuck steak is well browned.
5. Sprinkle on the flour and stir in well, let the flour catch slightly, this helps to give the stew a nice colour and flavour.
6. Then add the tomato puree, stock cubes, Worcester sauce, water, thyme and sugar.
7. Add the onion, carrot and really mix well.
8. Season well with salt and pepper and bring to a gentle simmer, cover with a tight fitting lid and place in the pre heated oven and cook for 1½ hours, nice and gently.
9. After 1½ hours make the dumplings, by placing the flour, salt, suet, parsley, horseradish and egg into a bowl.
10. Mix well and add enough cold water to form a soft dough the mixture must be soft but not sloppy.
11. Break off 6 walnut sized pieces and place them on top of the stew.
12. Return the oven uncovered and cook for a further 35 minutes, or until the dumplings are nicely browned and crunchy.
13. Serve with mashed potatoes and mashed swede with plenty of black pepper and butter.