Ingredients:

Onions
Garlic
Diced carrot, leek, parsnip, swede, other veg to taste
Diced meat (optional) Wine (optional)
3 oz butter/oil/lard 4 oz chestnut flour
Fresh mint, thyme, sage & peppercorns
Tomato puree
Spices to taste
1 pint stock.

Gently fry chopped onions and garlic in a suitable oil, add the meat and spices, tomato puree and cook for a minute. Add the wine, stock and vegetables, and leave to simmer for 20 minutes.

Make the dumplings:
Put the chestnut flour in a bowl, add the softened butter and chopped herbs and rub in until a crumbly texture is reached. Add a very little water and mix it in, then roll the dough out into little balls.

Pour the stew into an oven dish and spread the dumplings over the surface. Cover with a lid or tinfoil and bake for 40 minutes in a moderate oven, checking occasionally. Then dish up with some tasty steamed green leaves, and this can’t be beat. I usually do either a vegetarian dish with extra mushrooms in, or lamb with plenty of mint in the dumpling mixture. This is just wonderful, filling and delicious.