... isn't it funny how your body tells you what it wants to eat? As a food blogger I get into bit of a rut sometimes and this can be frustrating but with the change of season comes a fresh approach to the food on my plate and yesterday as I trawled around the supermarket it was a though I was guided by some mysterious internal force to the root vegetables and fatty meats. I adore the spiciness of a good quality Lincolnshire sausage and they go so well with root veg such as swede, carrots and potatoes that take on all those spices... I barely had to think about which dishes were going to be made, I simply knew there'd be a stew, there'd be soup and there would be chicken thighs - although to be fair there are always chicken thighs. Recently we've not had much time to plan meals so we've been grabbing the basics and then hoping for the best when we get home in the evenings but this weekend I was desperate to plan the eating and make something wholesome and earthy and a worthy welcome to autumn. I wanted a meal in a pot that would stave off the cold as well as the hunger although as it happens the weather still hasn't really turned bleak just yet so we're pretending it's chilly out there as we tuck into this little taste of the season ahead...
this is a classic Belleau Kitchen favourite and it came out beautifully... can there be anything better than some gorgeous root vegetables, local lincolnshire sausages and wonderful butterbeans which make the whole pot so creamy... but of course the star of the show here are the herby dumplings which soak up all the wonderful sausage gravy and make this a complete one-pot meal, perfect for autumn nights and chilly Sunday lunches. The whole dish a surprisingly easy and quick to put together but of course the slow cooking time creates a wonderfully rich and warming dish. I love my dumplings big and fluffy and just a little crispy on top which is why I suggest removing the lid for the last few minutes but if you're not a fan, feel free to leave the lid on...
for the stew
4 lincolnshire sausages - each one cut into 4
120g button mushrooms - halved
half a bulb of fennel - chopped
1 medium carrot - chopped
2 stalks of celery - chopped
150g cabbage - finely shredded
300g tin of butter beans - drained and rinsed
100ml white wine
1 pint of good quality vegetable stock with 4 teaspoons Bisto caramelised onion gravy powder
olive oil and butter
salt and pepper
for the dumplings
50g vegetarian suet or cold grated butter
75g self raising flour
100ml cold water
salt
1 twig rosemary
1 twig thyme
3 shoots of chives
you'll need a medium-sized casserole dish with a lid
pre-heat the oven to 160C
start by heating the casserole dish on the hob, melting a little butter and olive oil as you do. Add the sausages and mushrooms and let them both gain a little colour, turning them frequently... this should take roughly 15 minutes, then carefully remove them from the pot with a slotted spoon, leaving a little fat behind.
add the carrots, celery and fennel and let them sweat and soften for 10 minutes, adding some fresh herbs and plenty of salt and pepper, then add the sausages and mushrooms back into the pot along with the butterbeans, wine and stock, let it simmer for a few minutes before adding the shredded cabbage. Place the lid on and pop it into the oven for and hour and a half, whilst you make the dumplings.
place all the dumpling ingredients into a bowl along with the water and bring it all together with your hand, keeping your fingers light and swift... form them into 6 similarly sized balls and set aside
after an hour and a half, carefully remove the pot from the oven, take off the lid and add the dumplings onto the top of the stew, replace the lid and pop the dish back into the oven for 20 minutes, then take the lid off the pot, turn the oven up to 180C and let the stew and dumplings bubble away for a further 10 minutes
remove from the oven and let the dish settle for 5 mins before serving
eat and of course enjoy!