Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 500 g lean boneless pork, cut into 2.5 cm chunks
- 2 carrots, cut into 1 cm cubes
- 2 stalks celery, sliced
- 2 leeks, white part only, sliced
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons finely shredded fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 300 ml alcoholic dry apple cider
- 300 ml chicken stock, preferably homemade
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 700 g potatoes, cut into 1 cm cubes
- 250 g swede, cut into 1 cm cubes
- salt
- pepper
- 1¼ cups (100 g) fresh white breadcrumbs
- ⅓ cup (50 g) self–raising flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ cup (15 g) snipped fresh chives
- ¼ cup (15 g) chopped fresh parsley
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 3 tablespoons low–fat milk
- 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
Preparation
- Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish and add the pork.
- Cook over a high heat for 10 minutes or until well browned, stirring frequently.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the meat to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to moderate and add the carrots, celery, leeks, bay leaves and sage to the casserole.
- Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the leeks are softened.
- Pour in the cider and stock.
- Return the pork to the casserole with any juices.
- Add the mustard and mix well.
- Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover the casserole.
- Simmer gently for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the potatoes and swede.
- Bring back to simmering point, cover again and cook over low heat for a further 30 minutes or until the pork and vegetables are cooked.
- Meanwhile, prepare the dumplings.
- Mix together the breadcrumbs, flour, baking powder, chives, parsley and a generous pinch of salt in a bowl.
- Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the egg, milk and oil.
- Mix the liquids together, then gradually stir in the dry ingredients to make a dough.
- Bring a saucepan of water to a steady but not too fierce boil.
- Dust your hands with flour, then divide the dumpling mixture into 12 portions and roll each one into a round dumpling.
- Keep dusting your hands with flour to prevent the mixture from sticking to them.
- Add the dumplings to the water, adjust the heat so that they simmer gently and cook for about 10 minutes or until risen and firm.
- Add salt and pepper, if necessary.
- Use a slotted spoon to lift the dumplings out of the water, shaking gently to drain them well, and arrange them on top of the casserole.
- Serve at once.