Root Veg & Chestnut Stew with Herby, Cheesy Dumplings (v/vg)
A new twist on the old classic ‘blind scouse’. For those of you who don’t know what blind scouse is, it is a vegetarian version of a Liverpool stew called Scouse. Often the stew would consist of lamb or mutton, but for those less well off, the meat was dispensed with, hence the term ‘blind Scouse’.
However, this recipe is slightly more luxurious in its choice of ingredients. With the addition of puy lentils, roasted chestnuts, and umami flavours and topped with herby cheesy dumplings, it’s a filling bowl of warming, comfort food. This is a dish that you’ll return to again and again.Happy cooking! N x
Serves: 4-6 | Cooking time: 1hr
Ingredients
2 tbsps of olive or rapeseed oil
2 red onions, cut into chunks
2 sticks of celery, cut into chunks
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 large leek, cut into chunks
1 half of swede, peeled, cut into chunks
2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks
2 large carrots, washed and cut into chunks.
100g vacuum packed cooked chestnuts.
1 red pepper, cut into chunks
100g dried washed puy lentils.
3 tbsp fresh sage leaves, finely chopped.
3 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped.
3 tbsps fresh thyme leaves.
1 litre of Bouillon stock
1 heaped tablespoon of tomato purée
1 tsp of fennel seeds
Squeeze of lemon juice
2 tbsp of vegetarian Worcester sauce (Henderson’s) or tamari sauce.
1 tsp of yeast extract
1 tsp of cornflour, mixed in cold water
Salt & pepper seasoning
Dumplings
100g plain flour
50g vegetarian suet
1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tbsp fresh chopped sage
50g strong cheddar or vegan hard cheese, grated
1 tsp mustard powder
Salt & pepper seasoning
Method
Sauté the carrots, swede, and parsnips, in the oil for a few minutes.
Add the leek, onions, celery and garlic to the pan with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and the fennel seeds, turn the heat down. Sweat the vegetables down, with the lid on for a further 5/7 minutes or until the vegetables have softened.
Whilst the vegetables are simmering, make the dumplings.
In a bowl mix the flour, suet, mustard powder, fresh herbs and cheese (or vegan cheese) with 2/3 tablespoons of cold water. Combine the ingredients mixing into a dough ball. Lightly flour your hands and roll into 6/8 small dumplings or 4 larger dumplings. Pop then in the fridge to firm up until your ready to cook them.
Now add to the pan of vegetables, the chopped herbs, red pepper, puy lentils, tomato purée, Worcester sauce, lemon juice, yeast extract and stir to combine. Pour over a litre of bouillon stock. Cook for a further 5 minutes.
Add the cooked chestnuts to the pan, followed by the cornflour mixed with a teaspoon of cold water to thicken.
Top up with more hot water to cover the vegetables if necessary. Once the stew is bubbling, add the dumplings to the pan, half submerged in the liquid. and turn the heat down to low.
Cook on a low heat until the pepper and lentils are softened and the dumplings have firmed up. The dumplings should have a nice crust to them. This usually takes 8/10 minutes. Season to taste.
Serve with pickled red cabbage and a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley.
Enjoy!