Boiled beef with parsley dumplings

Dumplings Chinese cuisine

Boiling

This is a retro classic British winter-warming (or, in my present situation, New York spring!) dish. Every family has their own variation - some keep the dumplings plain or make them with milk. We make ours with water as I find them too rich with milk. I like to add fresh parsley and I go heavy on the freshly grated nutmeg. In the UK we would traditionally use a cut of beef called "silverside," but asking for this in an American supermarket is akin to walking into a 7/11 and asking for a fag. I have improvised by using corned beef brisket with great success. The beef gives up the most glorious stock. In the photo I put the dumplings in the same pot as the beef and vegetables. However I think it's best to ladle out some stock into a saucepan to simmer the dumplings separately. The pot is already fit to bursting with the beef and vegetables and this way you will ensure you're left with a clear golden-brown rich stock at the end. This cries out to be served with a gutsy condiment to cut through the richness - creamed horseradish, English mustard or, my particular favourite, Tewksbury mustard - a horseradish mustard with a mule-like kick.