I've made lentil soup for tonight as no idea what time the old man will be home.
Dumplings
5oz beef suet
5oz self-raising flour, sifted, plus extra for dusting
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2tsp dried italian herbs ( but any that you prefer)
water to bind
Place the suet in a clean bowl and add the flour. Using your hands, mix the suet and flour well, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and herbs.
Make a well in the centre of the flour and suet mixture and add water a bit at a time. Mix with a knife until you get a firm dough that comes away cleanly from the sides of the bowl.Turn the dough out onto a clean board and sprinkle over some flour. Roll the dough out into a sausage shape, then form into six golf ball-sized dumplings (they'll double in size when cooking). Carefully drop the dumplings into the stew
I slow cook my beef in red wine in the oven on gas mark 2 ( I use stewing beef or brisket), then turn it up to gas mark 6 just before I put the dumplings in, then cook for about and hour. Uncover the casserole about 20 minutes before serving so that the dumplings brown on the top