Sunday
Beef meatballs in Guinness with horseradish dumplings
Proper pub comfort: beef steak meatballs browned and simmered in a rich Guinness and beef stock gravy with Worcestershire sauce and redcurrant jelly, then baked under golden horseradish dumplings until they puff and brown.
Scatter over a little fresh thyme and serve straight from the casserole.
Method
- 01
Mix the steak mince, onions, horseradish, thyme and breadcrumbs, season well and shape into 20 meatballs. Set aside in the fridge to firm up for 20 minutes.
- 02
Next, in a heavy-based wide casserole, heat the oil over medium heat. Dust the meatballs in flour, then brown on all sides; you may need to do this in batches. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- 03
Add the Guinness, stock, Worcestershire sauce and redcurrant jelly to the pan, bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer, allowing to bubble for 15 minutes.
- 04
Heat the oven to 180°C.
- 05
For the dumplings, sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl, add the butter and horseradish and enough cold water to create a thick dough. Shape into 8–10 balls.
- 06
Finally, remove the casserole from the heat and add the meatballs, mixing gently to coat in the sauce. Scatter the dumplings over the top of the casserole and place in the oven, covered, and cook for 20 minutes.
- 07
Turn the oven up to 200°C and cook for a further 5–10 minutes, or until the dumplings are browned. Scatter over a little fresh thyme and serve.
In the glass
A bottle of Merlot
A dark, malty Guinness gravy and peppery horseradish dumplings want a soft, plummy red rather than something tannic. A bottle of Merlot is exactly right — ripe plum and blackcurrant fruit with a velvety texture that sits comfortably beside the rich gravy, and enough gentle spice to flatter the horseradish. A Stellenbosch Merlot, such as Meerlust, is a lovely choice; serve it slightly below room temperature.
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