Sassermaet Beef and Dumplings

This is a fairly quick meal to make midweek, taking about half an hour. It uses the sassermaet spice mix found here https://www.stelladrez.co.uk/post/sassermaet-burger-with-bean-salad. Give this a go as its delicious. Serve with mash and steamed veg on the side. I've based the dumpling recipe on one by the Hairy Bikers and given suggested amounts for dried herbs if you don't have fresh and vice versa.

Fancy mixing it up a bit? Top it with thinly sliced potatoes or mash and bake for a cottage pie or add extra beef stock and bulk it out with diced carrots and potato for a soup.

For the Stew:

2 tbsp veg oil

1 onion diced

3 garlic cloves finely chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

400 g mushrooms sliced

500 g beef mince

2 tsp sassermaet spice mix

Leaves from 3 thyme springs or a pinch dried

Salt, to taste

500 ml tomato pasata

1 tbsp tomato puree

250 ml beef stock

For the dumplings:

250 g self rising flour

125 g shredded beef suet

1/2 tsp sea salt

2 tbsp finely chopped parsley

1/4 tsp dried rosemary or 1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped

1 tsp finely chopped thyme or 1/4 tsp dried thyme

200 ml water

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a pot and add the onion, garlic and pepper. Cook for a few minutes until the onions starts turning soft and translucent.

2. Add the mushrooms and cook until reduced in size and all their liquid has been reduced. Add the mince and cook until browned. Season with salt, and add the thyme and sassermaet spices.

3. Stir everything together for a minute then ass the pasata and tomato puree.

4. Let it bubble for a couple of minutes before adding the beef stock.

For the dumplings and to finish off:

1. To make the dumplings simply mix all the ingredients together into a soft dough.

2. Pinch a bit at a time off and dot on top of the meat mixture.

3. Reduce the heat down to low.

4. Cover with a lid and cook for 18-20 minutes until the dumplings have risen and cooked through