Irish Stew and Dumplings

Ingredients

Stew

• 3/4 pound beef, cut into cubes
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons fat (shortening)
• 1/4 cup carrot
• 1/4 cup turnip
• 1/4 cup onion
• 3/4 cup diced potato
• 2 1/2 cups boiling water
• Salt and pepper to taste

Dumplings

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 tablespoon shortening
• 1/4 cup milk

Instructions

Stew

1. Dredge beef cubes in a mixture of the flour and salt. Brown meat in fat; remove with slotted spoon and set aside.
2. Place remaining ingredients in slow cooker. Add browned beef. Do not stir. Cover, cook on LOW about 5 hours.
3. When meat is tender, remove meat and vegetables from slow cooker.
4. Mix 3 tablespoons flour to 3 tablespoons water (plus dashes of salt and pepper) in a cup until the mixture resembles paste. Stir into liquid in slow cooker. Add 1 teaspoon instant coffee (to make the gravy turn brown).
5. When liquid is heated, return meat and vegetables to heat. Add dumplings and cook for one more hour.

Dumplings

1. Sift together flour, salt and baking powder. Cut in shortening. Gradually add milk; mix until smooth. Drop by tablespoons onto hot stew. Cover.
2. Cook for last hour.