Beef Stew with Suet Dumplings

I grew up eating really amazing beef and lamb stews that my mum used to make.  I have tried many times over the years to make her stew but nothing tastes quite like the stews of my childhood.

I took inspiration for this stew from a Jamie Oliver recipe, so this isn't exactly the same as my mum's (hers doesn't have wine in it) and I changed up Jamie's recipe to include the vegetables we like.  You can make this stew on the stove or in a slow cooker, I usually make stew on the stove but I recently started doing in home daycare again and so I have been using my slow cooker more.

2 lbs stewing steak
1 onion
1/2 butternut squash peeled and diced
4 parsnips
4 small potatoes
4 carrots
1/2 bottle red wine
2 tbsp tomato paste
4 cups beef stock
1 tsp worcester sauce
1 garlic clove
1 tsp rosemary
salt and pepper

Dumplings
4 oz self raising flour
2 oz vegetable suet
3 tbsp water
salt

Place the sliced onion, butternut squash, peeled and quartered potatoes and peeled and sliced carrots into the bottom of the slow cooker, season with salt and pepper.  Add in the tomato paste, minced garlic, rosemary and worcester sauce.

Cube the beef and add it to the slow cooker, season with salt and pepper, pour over the red wine and beef stock.  Cook on low for 8 hours.

To make the dumpling, in a small bowl mix together the flour, suet and salt.  Add the water and mix until the dough is soft and slightly sticky, add more water if it seems too dry.  Divide into 8 balls, and add to the top of the stew, place the lid back on the slow cooker and leave to cook for 20 minutes, until light and fluffy.