Beef, Ale and Dumpling Stew

Dumplings

• 50 g Cheddar cheese, cut in pieces
• 4 sprigs fresh parsley, leaves only
• 140 g plain flour
• 20 g butter
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp fine sea salt
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• 40 g milk
• 1 medium egg

Stew

• 70 g plain flour
• ¾ tsp fine sea salt
• ¾ tsp ground black pepper
• 800 g stewing steak, cut in pieces (5 cm)
• 45 g olive oil
• 150 g onions, quartered
• 1 beef stock cube (for 0.5 l), crumbled
  or 1 tsp beef stock paste, homemade
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
• 500 g water
• 500 g ale
• 150 g button mushrooms, quartered
• 100 g carrots, sliced (5 mm)
• fresh parsley, leaves only, for garnishing (optional)