Name: House Elf Beef & Dumpling Stew | Harry Potter Inspired Recipes Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 16 oz beef ribeye, cut into chunks; 2 cups chicken broth; 1 cup beef broth; 1/4 cup garlic broth; 1 onion, chopped; 1/2 cup carrots, chopped; 1/2 cup celery, chopped; 2 russet potatoes, chopped; 2 tablespoons garlic, minced; 3 tablespoons vegetable oil; 1 tablespoon flour; Salt & pepper, to taste; 1 cup flour; 1/2 cup butter, chilled; 3 tablespoons milk; 1 egg; 1 tablespoon parsley, plus more for topping; 1 teaspoon sea salt; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon sage; 1 teaspoon thyme; 1 teaspoon marjoram; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

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Introduction

This House Elf Beef & Dumpling Stew is a comforting, hearty dish inspired by the magical world of Harry Potter. Tender chunks of seasoned beef simmer in a rich broth with vegetables, topped with fluffy herb dumplings that soak up all the delicious flavors. Perfect for cozy nights and fans of wizarding cuisine alike.

A wooden bowl filled with thick chicken and dumplings stew, showing large, soft white dumplings scattered throughout a creamy, beige broth. The stew contains orange carrot sticks, brown chunks of chicken, and pieces of green herbs sprinkled on top. A silver spoon rests inside the bowl. The bowl is placed on a white marbled surface, with an old wand laying beside it. Behind the bowl, there's a white ornamental teacup with a brown liquid inside, sitting on a matching saucer decorated with small orange and green floral designs. A textured, greenish cloth and some old books are blurred in the background. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

16 oz beef ribeye, cut into chunks
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup beef broth
1/4 cup garlic broth
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
2 russet potatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon flour
Salt & pepper, to taste
1 cup flour (for dumplings)
1/2 cup butter, chilled
3 tablespoons milk
1 egg
1 tablespoon parsley, plus more for topping
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sage
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon marjoram
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Step 1: In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat the vegetable oil until shimmering. Add the beef chunks and sear until browned on the outsides, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the pot and set aside.
Step 2: Add the chopped onion to the pot and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4-5 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook until they start to lightly brown.
Step 3: Stir in the carrots and celery. Cook until the celery brightens in color, about 1-2 minutes. Then add the minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle the flour evenly over the vegetables and stir to coat everything.
Step 4: Pour in the chicken, beef, and garlic broths. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and let the stew cook for 20-25 minutes.
Step 5: While the stew simmers, prepare the dumplings. In a bowl, whisk together flour, sea salt, black pepper, baking powder, parsley, sage, thyme, and marjoram.
Step 6: Roughly chop the chilled butter into small pieces and add to the dry mixture. Stir until the mixture is crumbly, rubbing larger pieces of butter between your fingers if needed.
Step 7: In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk and egg. Slowly pour this into the dry mixture, stirring until a thick, batter-like dough forms. It should be easy to form into balls without sticking to your fingers.
Step 8: Pull off 1-2 tablespoon-sized portions of the dough and roll into balls. Let the dough rest for about five minutes.
Step 9: When the stew has about 10 minutes left, return the seared beef to the pot. Gently add the dough balls on top, forming an even layer over the stew.
Step 10: Cover the pot and cook for 10-15 minutes, until the dumplings are cooked through and puffed up. Serve hot, garnished with additional parsley if desired. Enjoy!

Tips & Variations

For extra flavor, brown the beef in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot and ensure a nice sear.
Feel free to swap ribeye for chuck or stew beef for a more budget-friendly option that will become tender with slow cooking.
Add a splash of Worcestershire sauce or a few dashes of smoked paprika to deepen the stew’s flavor.
For a vegetarian twist, replace the beef with hearty mushrooms and use vegetable broth in place of meat broths.
Fresh herbs can be substituted with dried; reduce quantities by half to maintain a balanced taste.

Storage

Store leftover stew in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove over low heat to avoid overcooking the dumplings. For longer storage, freeze the stew without dumplings for up to 2 months. Make fresh dumplings when ready to serve.

How to Serve

A close-up image of a wooden bowl filled with a creamy soup that has multiple layers of ingredients. The soup contains fluffy, round beige dumplings, light brown potato chunks, green herbs sprinkled on top, orange thin carrot strips, and pieces of tender brown meat. A shiny silver spoon rests inside the bowl on the right side. The bowl is placed on a white marbled surface with a dark wooden stick lying diagonally next to it on the left. In the top right corner, there is a white cup and saucer with yellow rose patterns, filled with dark amber tea. Part of a textured green cloth and the corners of old books can be seen in the top left corner. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make the dumplings ahead of time?

It’s best to add the dumplings fresh near the end of cooking to keep their fluffy texture. Pre-making and storing the dough may result in dense dumplings.

What can I use if I don’t have garlic broth?

If garlic broth is unavailable, substitute with additional chicken broth and add extra minced garlic when sautéing the vegetables for a similar flavor.