Beef Stew with Root Vegetables and Dumplings

I love stew. I really love stew. I have so many recipes for stew when really, they are so similar and it doesn't matter what goes in it, it's going to be delicious. Here is one I got from Good Old Fashioned Pies and Stews by Laura Manson, and it is part of the National Trust's book collection. I had no IDEA they did them. Anyway, delicious looking book, looks very traditional and old fashioned.

I will be trying quite a few recipes from there, and to be honest, they all have very similar ingredients but are all slightly different.

Oil
Stewing beef, in cubes
1 large onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Turnips, peeled and diced
1 large parsnip, trimmed, peeled and cubed
1 large carrot, peeled and cubed
Plain flour and self raising flour
250ml of beef stock
250ml of mild beer, wine or beef stock
1 bay leaf
Oregano
Salt and pepper

Heat oven to 150C/300F.

Heat oil in a big frying pan, soften onion then remove from heat. In the same oil, fry the root vegetables for a few minutes then remove and put with the onion.

Mix some plain flour with a bit of salt and pepper then toss the beef cubes into it and begin browning them (in batches if the pan is small) and add to the vegetables in a casserole dish.

Sprinkle a bit of flour in the frying pan and mix in any remaining oil there is then add the beef stock and whichever other liquid you chose to use. I used all beef stock so in total there was 500ml of beef stock. Stir well to get any bits of the side of the pan and bring to the boil.

Pour over the meat and vegetables in the casserole dish, all bay leaf and oregano. Cover and cook for two hours. If you are using shin of beef, apparently reduce heat to 140C/284F and cook for four hours.

Do the dumpling mix, I did this: 8 tablespoons of self raising flour, 4 tablespoons of suet, sprinkle of salt, teaspoon of mustard powder, sprinkle of parsley. Mix little water in at a time until it forms a nice dough, not too sticky. Form into dumplings.

Remove casserole from oven, pop dumplings on top, put oven up to 180C/356F and return to oven uncovered for about 20 minutes.