Ostrich, Bacon Dumpling Stew
Ingredients
- Stew
- Canolla Oil for coating the pan
- 1 Chicken Stock Cube disolved in 1 cup boiling water
- 1 Chopped onion
- 500g Ostrich Cubes (I bought them from Woolies but P&P may stock them)
- Flour to coat meat
- Packet of lean bacon chopped up
- 1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 Teaspoon English Mustard
- 3 Bay leaves
- 3 cloves
- 2 Peeled and chopped potatoes
- Handful of peeled baby carrots
- Half a cup of chopped green beans
- Few stamens of saffron
- Pinch of thyme (fresh if possible)
- 1/2 Teaspoon Aniseed
- Little bit of sage (please if there are some fresh leaves)
- Salt to taste
- Cold water to top up with
- Parsley
- Dumplings:
- 6 cups flour
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- Packet of yeast (Please may I use Anchor)
- Pinch of salt
- Cling wrap
- Plastic dish with lid (size of a mixing bowl)
Method
Three methods are used in this recipe. The ostrich is stewed and the dumplings are made by first proving the dough and then steaming them.
- a) Stewing the ostrich meat
- Place the saffron in a small dish and soak with a little of the balsamic vinegar.
- Heat the oil in a cast iron pot. Wash the meat. Dry the meat thoroughly with a dish towel. If the meat is not dry it will not brown. Coat with flour. Brown the meat in the hot oil. Remove from the pot and set aside. Saute the chopped onions in the same oil ans simultaneously roast the aniseed. Throw in the stock and deglase the pot. Add the meat and the bacon. Reduce heat so that stew simmers slowley!
- Add the remaining vinegar,mustard, bay leaved, cloves, green beans, potatoes, carrots, thyme, aniseed and sage. Top up with cold water. Simmer for two hours stirring and topping up the water every so often. Taste for salt and add if needed. Prepare the dumplings an hour before serving.
- b) Proving the dough
- Place most of the flour, salt and yeast in the plastic dish. Work in the warm water and honey to form a dough. Knead the dough and wrap in cling film. Place near the stew pot to prove for 15 minutes.
- Knead again working in the left over flour.
- Cover in the cling film and prove for 15 minutes. Knead again.
- c) Steaming the dumplings
- Add water to the stew pot to top up gravy and bring to a fast simmer. Add the saffron. Roll the dough into balls, place on top of hot stew, place the lid on the pot tightly and leave to steam for 15 minutes.