Kevin Dundon - Great Family Food

2 carrots, peeled and diced

1/ 2turnip, peeled and finely diced

1 parsnip, peeled and chopped

2 celery sticks

1 large tsp tomato purée

25g/1oz/2 1/ 2tbsp plain flour

850ml/1 1/ 2pints/3 3/ 4cups beef stock

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Herb Dumplings:

200g/7oz/1 1/ 3cups self-raising flour

50g/2oz/ 1/ 2cup suet pinch of salt

1/ 2onion, peeled and very finely chopped

2 tsp chopped fresh parsley

50g/2oz/ 1/ 2cup grated Cheddar cheese (optional)

about 5 tbsp soured milk

1Heat the sunflower oil in a large saucepan. Add the diced stewing beef and fry quickly until coloured or sealed all over. Add the vegetables to the pan, mix around well and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until all the vegetables are sealed and glazed like the beef.

2Next, add the tomato purée and a little salt and pepper and sprinkle the flour on top of the mixture. Mix in the flour (this will act as a thickening agent), ensuring that all the vegetables and meat are covered and lightly coated. Pour in the stock and mix it well to ensure that there are no lumps of flour stuck to the sides of the saucepan.

3Allow the mixture to come to the boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 1 1/ 2-2 hours, or until the meat and vegetables are tender and the sauce is a nice consistency.

4Meanwhile, make the dumplings. In a large bowl mix the flour, suet, salt, finely chopped onion, fresh parsley and Cheddar cheese (if using) together well. Gently stir in the soured milk a little at a time—do not add all the milk at once because you may not need all of the liquid. The mixture should resemble a soft dough (like a scone).

5Turn out onto a floured work surface and knead the dough very gently, just until it comes together, then cut out the dumplings, using a cup or a scone cutter. They should be no thicker than 2cm/ 3/ 4in.

6About 30 minutes before the stew is ready, drop in the dumplings. These cook in the stew and take about 25-30 minutes. If you wish, at this stage you can finish the stew off in the oven by transferring it to a casserole dish with a lid and placing in an oven preheated to 150°C/ 300°F/Gas Mark 2.

This is a real ‘mammy’ dish—all mums have their own special recipe. My recipe has a long-tailed history—it has satisfied several generations and will be passed on to future Dundons. This version uses diced lamb, but you could use mutton neck chops—a cheaper cut of meat, which benefits from the prolonged cooking time.

1 tbsp sunflower oil

1.1kg/2lb 8oz neck of lamb, diced

3 carrots, peeled and diced

1 onion, peeled and diced

225g/8oz turnip, peeled and chopped

5-6 fresh parsley sprigs, plus extra for garnish

600ml/1 pint/2 1/ 2cups lamb stock or water

2 large potatoes, peeled and diced

75g/3oz pearl barley

1Heat a large saucepan with the sunflower oil, add the meat and quickly brown. Add the diced carrots, onion and turnip and fry off for 3-4 minutes. Add some parsley sprigs and the stock and allow the mixture to come to the boil, then reduce the heat to a very gentle simmer and cook, covered, for 1 hour.

2Add the diced potatoes and pearl barley and stir to combine well. These two ingredients will both act as thickening agents, so you may need to add a little extra stock, depending on the consistency you like in your stew.

3Allow the stew to cook gently for a further 1 hour—this will make the meat nice and tender and will ensure a great end result. If it begins to dry out, add a little more stock or water.

4When the stew is cooked, sprinkle the dish with a little chopped parsley and serve immediately with some deliciously creamy mashed potatoes.

There is something truly delightful about the aroma of this dish wafting through the house. You can run out to the shops for a couple of hours while the ribs are cooking and come home to a beautiful slow-braised meal. If you can find them, Rooster potatoes are perfect for the mash; otherwise use King Edwards, Golden Wonders or any other floury potato.

sunflower oil, for frying

16 short beef ribs

2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks

1 large onion, peeled and sliced

5 garlic cloves, peeled

2-3 fresh thyme sprigs

1 x 400g/14oz tin of chopped tomatoes

350ml/12fl oz/1 1/ 2cups red wine

200ml/7fl oz/generous 3/ 4cup beef stock

Horseradish Mash:

6 large potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

milk

50g/2oz / 1/ 2stick butter

1 tsp creamed horseradish

1Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/Gas Mark 2.

2Heat a little oil in a large roasting tin and seal the short ribs on each side until they are nicely browned off. Add in the vegetables and garlic and stir to coat them lightly. Next, pop in the thyme sprigs and add the chopped tomatoes, red wine and beef stock. Bring the mixture to the boil, then transfer the tray to the oven for 2 1/ 2hours.

3Boil the potatoes in salted water until they are tender. Strain off the water, return the saucepan to the hob and steam for a few minutes. Mash with a little milk and butter (add gradually as you do not want the mash to become sloppy) and mix in the creamed horseradish.

4Remove the ribs from the oven and serve with the creamy horseradish mash.

These days, everyone seems to be constantly on the run, trying to beat the clock at every turn. Here are some mouth-watering, time-saving recipes that are tasty, nutritious and ideal for all the family. Most importantly, they use ingredients that are readily available in your local shop or supermarket.

Each ingredient in this attractive salad has its own unique flavour, but they marry together extremely well. The sweetness of the orange contrasts beautifully with the strong and sometimes salty taste of the cheese.

200g/7oz young baby beetroot olive oil

350g/12oz young goat’s cheese, cut into chunks

2 tbsp walnut oil

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar juice of 1/ 2orange

200g/7oz fresh rocket leaves (or any type of salad leaves)

3 large ripe oranges, peeled and segmented

75g/3oz/ 3/ 4cup walnuts

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas Mark 5.

2Cut the beetroot into large wedges and place on a baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil and season with the salt and pepper. Roast for 20-25 minutes, or until the wedges are just tender.

3Line a baking tray with non-stick baking parchment. Arrange the cheese on top and place the tray in the oven for 5-6 minutes, or until the cheese is just beginning to melt.

4While the goat’s cheese is cooking, make the dressing by mixing together the walnut oil, balsamic vinegar and orange juice.

5Arrange the rocket leaves in serving bowls or on plates. Divide the orange segments between the bowls. Scatter in the warm beetroot and the baked goat’s cheese. Toss in the walnuts at the end and drizzle generously with the nutty dressing.