Bean Stew With Herb Dumplings

Bean Stew With Herb Dumplings
serves 4

Ingredients
425g/15oz canned cooked red
kidney beans, drained
425g/15oz canned cooked
haricot beans, drained
400g/14oz canned chopped plum tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato purée
200g/7oz canned sweetcorn kernels, drained
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 bay leaf
300ml/10fl oz vegetable stock
275g/10oz green beans, topped
and tailed, cut into lengths
1 tablespoon chopped fresh
flat-leaf parsley, to serve
salt and freshly ground
black pepper
For the herb dumplings
100g/4oz self-raising flour
25g/1oz butter
1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs

• Put the kidney and haricot beans in a large heavy saucepan or flameproof casserole dish. Add the tomatoes, tomato purée, sweetcorn,garlic and bay leaf, and stir to mix through evenly.
• Pour in the stock, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, sift the flour into a bowl with a little salt and pepper. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles rough crumbs. Stir in the herbs. Mix with just enough cold water to form a soft but not too sticky dough.
• Add the green beans to the vegetable mixture. Shape the dough into eight round balls, and carefully drop into the top of the stew. Cover and simmer gently for 15–20 mintues until the dumplings are fluffy and risen.
• To serve, discard the bay leaf. Sprinkle the stew with the parsley, and serve hot, allowing two dumpling for each serving