I first developed a beef and ale stew recipe several months ago. Back then it wasn’t good enough to be published on my blog, but now I’ve dug it up again and today I’m presenting a new version, with turnips and ‘Schupfnudeln’ (Austrian finger-shaped potato dumplings, similar to gnocchi).
I came up with the idea of including turnips in my recipe about two weeks ago. I was having this really lovely conversation with a dear friend and, as is always the case when chatting with me, I sooner or later started to talk about food. My friend mentioned that she was looking for a recipe with turnips and a little bit later we both agreed that we wouldn’t want to be vegetarians. At home, I was wondering how I could combine turnips and meat and one thought led to another until I finally hit on the idea of a beef and ale stew with turnips. … Can’t wait to find out if my friend likes the idea as well! 😉
‘Schupfnudeln’ are a common side dish in Austria and Germany. These are finger-shaped potato dumplings and they taste similar to gnocchi. They are not difficult to make, it just takes some time as the potatoes need to be cooked and then you have to roll every little ‘Schupfnudel’ (dumpling) with the palm of your hand. But on the other hand, the result is definitely worth the effort! And they are so wonderfully versatile. They are an excellent side dish for all kinds of stews and ragouts, they are perfect for a stir fry with vegetables and they also taste delicious as a dessert, for example served with poppy seeds, butter and sugar.
Another friend and excellent cook, Hanni Sehn from the Looshaus in Payerbach (Austria), gave me a very valuable piece of advice for cooking beef and ale stew. She said that adding dark bread to the meat and beer reduces the bitterness created by the ale. And she was so right! Thank you, Hanni!
Well, here’s the recipe!
Beef and Ale Stew
Serves 6
For the Beef and Ale Stew:
2 red onions
2 ounces (50 g) pancetta or bacon
some olive oil
2 lb (1 kg) stewing beef
1 1/3 lb (600 g) turnips
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
some sprigs fresh thyme
1 slice of dark bread (about 4 ounces)
2 tablespoons flour, all-purpose
660 ml (about 3 cups) dark ale
200 ml (1 cup) beef stock
2 tablespoons tomato purée
1 tablespoon mustard
salt, pepper
For the Schupfnudeln (finger-shaped potato dumplings):
1 ¾ lb floury potatoes
1 ¾ cups (200 g) flour, all-purpose
1 egg
salt
1 tablespoon butter
Preheat the oven to 220°C / 200°C fan / 425°F / gas mark 7.
Chop the bacon and the peeled onions. Cut the beef into 1 inch chunks. Peel and slice the turnips. Chop the parsley. Cut off the crust of the bread and cut the bread into ½ inch pieces. Use an oven-proof casserole with a lid. Fry the bacon and the onions in some olive oil. Add the beef and fry until the beef starts to take color. Add the turnips, parsley, thyme leaves, bread and flour. Stir well. Add the ale and beef stock, tomato purée, mustard, salt and pepper. Combine well. Cover the casserole with the lid and stew in the hot oven for about 2 hours.
For the Schupfnudeln (finger-shaped potato dumplings) cook the potatoes, peel them when still hot and put the potatoes onto some parchment paper. Use a knife to cut them into quarters and allow the steam to evaporate. Let them cool completely. Use a potato ricer to mash the potatoes very finely. Add the flour, salt and egg to make a dough. Knead shortly until very smooth. Cut the dough into four pieces and roll each piece to a long string (about 1 inch thick). Cut off ½ inch slices and roll each slice with the palm of your hand on a slightly floured worktop until you get finger-shaped dumplings. In a large pot bring water and salt to the boil. Reduce the heat to a minimum and simmer the dumplings for 2-3 minutes. Take them out of the water with a slotted spoon. Melt the butter in a pan and fry the potato dumplings until they start to brown.
Serve the beef and ale stew with the potato dumplings.
Note: If you don’t have a casserole with a lid use another oven-proof deep dish and cover the dish tightly with kitchen foil.
Note: Adding some dark bread to the stew reduces the bitterness of the ale.
Here is the recipe for printing:
- [b]For the Beef and Ale Stew:[/b]
- 2 red onions
- 2 ounces (50 g) pancetta or bacon
- some olive oil
- 2 lb (1 kg) stewing beef
- 1 1/3 lb (600 g) turnips
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
- some sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 slice of dark bread (about 4 ounces)
- 2 tablespoons flour, all-purpose
- 660 ml (about 3 cups) dark ale
- 200 ml (1 cup) beef stock
- 2 tablespoons tomato purée
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- salt, pepper
- [br]
- [b]For the Schupfnudeln (finger-shaped potato dumplings):[/b]
- 1 ¾ lb floury potatoes
- 1 ¾ cups (200 g) flour, all-purpose
- 1 egg
- salt
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Preheat the oven to 220°C / 200°C fan / 425°F / gas mark 7.
- Chop the bacon and the peeled onions. Cut the beef into 1 inch chunks. Peel and slice the turnips. Chop the parsley. Cut off the crust of the bread and cut the bread into ½ inch pieces. Use an oven-proof casserole with a lid. Fry the bacon and the onions in some olive oil. Add the beef and fry until the beef starts to take color. Add the turnips, parsley, thyme leaves, bread and flour. Stir well. Add the ale and beef stock, tomato purée, mustard, salt and pepper. Combine well. Cover the casserole with the lid and stew in the hot oven for about 2 hours.
- For the Schupfnudeln (finger-shaped potato dumplings) cook the potatoes, peel them when still hot and put the potatoes onto some parchment paper. Use a knife to cut them into quarters and allow the steam to evaporate. Let them cool completely. Use a potato ricer to mash the potatoes very finely. Add the flour, salt and egg to make a dough. Knead shortly until very smooth. Cut the dough into four pieces and roll each piece to a long string (about 1 inch thick). Cut off ½ inch slices and roll each slice with the palm of your hand on a slightly floured worktop until you get finger-shaped dumplings. In a large pot bring water and salt to the boil. Reduce the heat to a minimum and simmer the dumplings for 2-3 minutes. Take them out of the water with a slotted spoon. Melt the butter in a pan and fry the potato dumplings until they start to brown.
- Serve the beef and ale stew with the potato dumplings.
