A perfect, hearty, winter warmer! Simple to make; preparation time around 45 minutes, cooking time 30-40 minutes. This can be made a couple of days in advance if you are planning to entertain some friends!
English Ham, Bacon & Mustard Dumplings
Ingredients - serves 4-6
For the dumplings
80g beef suet
160g self raising flour
15g veg oil
1 tbsp grain mustard
pinch salt
egg yolks for glazing
warm water
flour for dusting
molden salt
For the Ham
1 cooked gammon - diced into 2 cm cubes
1 swede - peeled and diced into 1cm cubes
1 leek - sliced, washed and left to drain in a colander
2 carrots - peeled, cut in half and sliced into 1cm thick pieces
100g bacon lardons - you can find these on the bacon shelf in your supermarket
6 slices of black pudding - diced into 1cm cubes
1 beef stock pot
1 chicken stock cube
300g milk
150g double cream
vegetable oil for cooking
sherry vinegar
salt
Method
For the dumplings
place all of the ingredient into a mixing bowl. Make a well and slowly add warm water to form a sticky dough.
Lightly flour a dinner plate.
Flour your hands and divide the dough into 8 equal balls
Again with floured hands roll the dough into balls
Using a pastry brush glaze the balls with egg yolks and set to one side to dry
Once dry glaze them with a second coating of egg yolks and lightly sprinkle with molden salt. Leave to one side for use later
For the Ham
Heat a large sauce pan and add a splash of vegetable oil. Add the swede and carrot and gently sweat off without allowing the vegetables to colour. Add a splash of water if the pan gets too warm.
Add the bacon lardons and continue to cook for 4-5 minutes.
Once the veg starts to soften add the leeks and continue to sweat down for 4-5 minutes.
Add the diced ham and cover with water. Add both the stocks and bring to the boil. Turn down to simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
Add the milk and continue to cook until the vegetables are cooked to your liking.
Add the double cream and bring back to the boil for 2 minutes.
Turn off the heat.
Heat a frying pan and add a splash of vegetable oil - you need this to be quite hot!
Add the black pudding and a sprinkling of salt. Fry until the pudding is crisp.
Add the pudding the the ham and gently stir. Taste and correct the sherry vinegar and salt to adjust the seasoning.
Pour the ham into a suitable casserole dish and leave to cool.
Once cool carefully place the dumplings on top of the ham.
Pre heat an oven to 180ºc.
Place the casserole into the middle of the oven and cook for 25-35 minutes until the dumplings are golden brown.
Serve.
