I just looked out at the snow and watched a Robin attacking a fat ball on one of our bird feeders, and for some reason suet dumplings sprang to mind. Coming home from school on such a day to my mum's lovely piping hot lamb stew with pearl barley, vegetables, and suet dumplings. A real cockle-warmer!!
Dumplings can be made with olive oil or margarine or butter or even no fat at all but an egg instead. Just mix half fat to flour, or 1 egg instead of the fat(2 if making lots of dumplings) S & P, a little parsley, and enough milk or water to mix to a soft dough.
I love dumplings in a casserole. The mix is just the same as pastry - half fat to flour, but you need self raising flour instead of plain. I always add a bit of baking powder to make them rise even more. And I find that if you make them with milk instead of water, they are lovely and soft. Just pop them on the top of the casserole for the last 10 mins of cooking time, put the lid back on and et voila!!! Lovely savoury dumplings. Yum!
How strange I have just read this and my beef stew is cooking nicely in the oven.
I will be making some dumpling in a minute. but no suet in mine. My mum always made them without any suet.
Noxxxxxxxxxxxxxx - invite me to supper ...... pleeease!!
Actually, I have a lovely beef casserole cooking - but no dumplings - my husband wouldn't eat them - but I love good, basic, old fashioned, no nonsense, food in this sort of weather. Nothing better when you come in from the cold.
Rocky, no I don't think I would. I don't like cooking much and I'm not a great food lover really. The only reason I eat is because I'd die if I didn't. ;o)