Beef Chuck Stew With Homemade Thyme Dumplings

Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 180°C (fan)/ gas 6 and boil a full kettle

Heat a large, wide-based hob-safe oven-proof casserole dish with a matching lid with a generous drizzle of vegetable oil over a high heat

Note: Make sure your dish is oven-proof and safe to use on the hob. Don't have one? Start cooking in a large, wide-based pan then transfer to an oven-proof dish and cover tightly with foil

Once hot, add your diced beef to the dish and cook for 2-3 min or until browned all over

Meanwhile, crush your garlic clove[s] open by squashing with the side of a knife, remove and discard the skin

Peel and chop your brown onion[s] into wedges

Top, tail, peel and slice your carrot[s] into discs on the diagonal

Add the crushed garlic, onion wedges and carrot discs to the dish with 2 tbsp [3 tbsp] [4 tbsp] flour and a pinch of salt and pepper and cook for 1-2 min

Add 600ml [750ml] [900ml] boiled water to the dish with your bay leaf[ves], tomato paste, marmite and beef stock mix and bring to the boil over a high heat

Once boiling, cover with a lid, then put the dish in the oven for an initial 30 min

While the beef is in the oven, add your dried yeast to a jug with 20ml [30ml] [40ml] warm water and 1 tsp [1 1/2 tsp] [2 tsp] sugar and mix it all together, then set aside for 5-8 min for the yeast to develop

Combine 70g [100g] [140g] flour with a pinch of salt and 30g [45g] [60g] butter and use your fingers to mix it together to form a crumb (clean hands is the best way!) – this is your buttery crumb

Add the yeast to the buttery crumb with your dried thyme and gently mix with a plastic spatula, then your hands until a sticky dough ball has formed (add a little extra flour if it's looking too sticky!)

Cover with a tea towel and set aside to rise for 20 min – this is your dumpling mixture

Use this time to clear up, set the table, have a cup of tea or simply chill!

After the dish has had 30 min, divide the dumpling mixture into 3 small balls per person – these are your homemade thyme dumplings

Remove the dish from the oven and top with the homemade thyme dumplings

Return the dish to the oven, covered, for a final 35 min – this is your beef chuck stew with homemade thyme dumplings

Reboil a full kettle

Meanwhile, peel your potatoes and chop them into bite-sized pieces, then add them to a pot with plenty of boiled water and bring to the boil over a high heat

Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 12-15 min or until fork-tender and once done, drain and return to the pot to steam dry

Return the potatoes to a low heat with a small knob of butter and a splash of milk, then season with a pinch of salt and pepper and mash until smooth