Spiced Venison Stew with Herb Dumplings

Name: Spiced Venison Stew with Herb Dumplings
Cuisine: Northern Europe
Ingredients: 2 cloves; 1 blade mace; 1 cinnamon stick 5-8 cm long; ½ tsp cubebs (or whole allspice); ½ tsp cubebs (or whole allspice); ½ tsp grains of paradise (or black peppercorns); ½ tsp grains of paradise (or black peppercorns); 800 g / 1 ¾ lb stewing venison or beef, cubed; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar; 800 g / 1 ¾ lb stewing venison or beef, cubed; 500 ml / 17 fl oz / 2 cups venison or beef stock; 500 ml / 17 fl oz / 2 cups venison or beef stock; 2 onions, chopped; 1 ½ tbsp plain flour; 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage; 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley; 2 tbsp boiling water; 2 pinches / 40-60 saffron strands, crushed; 250 g / 9 oz / 2 cups stale white breadcrumbs (not dried); 1 pinch / 20-30 saffron strands, crushed; 1 tsp sugar (optional); salt to season; well flavoured meat or vegetable stock or salted water to cook; ½ tsp salt; 1 tbsp chopped chives; 3 eggs, beaten; well flavoured meat or vegetable stock or salted water to cook; well flavoured meat or vegetable stock or salted water to cook

Preparation info

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

Fool's Gold

By Sam Bilton

Published 2022

About

This stew is adapted from the recipe ‘Beef y-Stywyd’ in Two Fifteenth Century Cookbooks (Harl. MS 279). The dumplings are inspired by the recipe for ‘Jusshell’ in Forme of Cury (1390).

Ingredients

For the stew:

1 cinnamon stick 5-8 cm long
2 cloves
1 blade mace

Europe
United Kingdom
Main course

Method

For the stew:

Grind the whole spices (except the saffron) to a fine powder in a spice mill (or use a pestle and mortar). Mix with the vinegar then rub the spice paste into the meat and leave to marinate in the fridge overnight.
The following day heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole over a medium hea