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Creamy Vegetable Stew with Cheddar Dumplings

Prep Time:  ~10 Hours

     Cook Time:  5-6 Hours (on high) or 8-10 hours (on low)

     Serves:  6

In winter, nothing sounds better to me than a meal that smells amazing as it cooks slowly in my kitchen all day. The aromas entice while the flavors build, making way for an easy, early dinner. The most hands-on part of this recipe is the dumplings. Technically they’re optional, but if it’s a dark and cold winter night, why not lean in with some quick decadent cheddar dumplings?

Ingredients

  • For Stew:
  • 1 cup dried cranberry or pinto beans
  • 3 cups cold water
  • 3 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 3 carrots, peeled, halved and sliced
  • 1 parsnip, peeled, quartered and sliced
  • 1 large (or 2 medium) leeks, sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 5 cups vegetable stock
  • 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
  • For Cheddar Dumplings:
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 tablespoons butter, shredded
  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • ¼ cup minced chives (optional)
  • 4–5 tablespoons cold water

Directions

  1. The night before you plan to make the stew, place the beans in a medium bowl and cover with water.
  2. In the morning (or before you begin to prepare your meal), drain the beans and set them aside.
  3. In a large heavy skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Once it’s melted, add the carrots and parsnips and cook until browned in spots, about 5 minutes. Transfer the carrots and parsnips to a slow cooker.
  4. Reduce the skillet’s heat to medium low and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet. Once melted, add the leeks and garlic. Sauté until softened, about 7 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add the flour, and stir until it's dissolved into the vegetable mixture, about 1 minute. Add the stock and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker. Add the cauliflower, salt, thyme, pepper and soaked beans. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
  5. Uncover the slow cooker and stir in the sour cream and mustard. Turn it up to high (if it wasn’t on high already). If you don't make the dumplings, the stew is now ready to eat. Otherwise, move on to step 6.
  6. To make the cheddar dumplings, in a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Add the butter, cheese and chives (if using), and stir until just combined. Pour 4 tablespoons of water over the mixture and very gently stir until the water is absorbed. Use your hands to carefully work the mixture into a scraggy, sticky dough. If it’s too dry to come together, add an additional tablespoon of water. Shape the dough into 8 balls, flatten slightly and place them on top of the stew liquid in the slow cooker. Cover and cook for 1–2 hours on high until the dumplings are firm and doubled in size.

Notes