House Elf Beef & Dumpling Stew | Harry Potter Inspired Recipes (2024)

Fictional Feasts, Harry Potter

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House Elf Beef & Dumpling Stew | Harry Potter Inspired Recipes (1)

“Dobby has no master. Dobby is a free elf, and Dobby has come to save Harry Potter and his friends!”

– Dobby, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Tonight we apparate back to England to stay at Twelve Grimmauld place – previous home to Sirius Black’s family and headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix. If you aren’t caught up on the Harry Potter series (and let’s be honest, it’s been twenty years, so you should be), there may be mild spoilers in this post!

House Elf Beef & Dumpling Stew | Harry Potter Inspired Recipes (2)

Out of all the House Elves we meet in the wizarding world, Kreacher is possibly the most miserable of them. Winky might come in as a close second, even though she was drunk on butterbeer most of the time. Even Dobby, who lived with the Malfoys, remained positive despite his role.

House Elf Beef & Dumpling Stew | Harry Potter Inspired Recipes (3)

However Kreacher does eventually show his soft side, mostly to Harry, by cooking him simple but heartwarming dishes. One of those times happens to be right after Harry has accidentally slipped into Voldemort’s mind. And even though Harry wasn’t hungry enough to eat the stew, he still appreciated Kreacher’s efforts.

House Elf Beef & Dumpling Stew | Harry Potter Inspired Recipes (4)

Kreacher, out of all the House Elves, probably made the best soups and stews – one of his favorites being French onion soup, which he made for Harry after Harry gifted him Regulus’ locket. I’d like to think that once the wizarding war ended, Hermione restarted S.P.E.W. and mended soured relationships between house elves and wizards, with Kreacher at her side as a helpful ambassador.

House Elf Beef & Dumpling Stew | Harry Potter Inspired Recipes (5)

The Starving Chef

This house elf beef and dumpling stew is inspired by both Kreacher's love of cooking and Dobby's love of cooking in the kitchens at Hogwarts.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Fictional Feasts

Cuisine Harry Potter Inspired

Ingredients

  • 16 oz beef ribeye cut into chunks
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • ¼ cup garlic broth
  • 1 onion chopped
  • ½ cup carrots chopped
  • ½ cup celery chopped
  • 2 russet potatoes chopped
  • 2 tablespoons garlic minced
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • salt & pepper to taste

FOR DUMPLINGS:

Instructions

  • In a large pot over medium high, heat the vegetable oil until shimmering. Toss in the chunks of beef and cook until just browned on the outsides, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the pot and set aside.

  • Add the chopped potatoes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to lightly brown. Then add the onions and cook until softened, about 4-5 minutes.

  • Add the carrots and celery to the pot. Cook until the celery brightens in color, about 1-2 minutes, then add the garlic, salt and pepper. Sprinkle the flour across the vegetables and stir until everything is coated in flour.

  • Pour the chicken, beef, and garlic broth (if using) into the pot and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and let stew about 20-25 minutes.

  • While the stew cooks, start making the dumplings. Whisk together the flour, salt, pepper, baking powder and the herbs. In a separate bowl, stir together the milk and egg.

  • Roughly chop the chilled butter into small pieces (or use a food processor). Add the butter to the dry mix and stir until the mixture is crumbly – rub larger pieces of butter between your fingers, as needed, to achieve this.

  • Slowly pour the milk mix into the dry mix. Stir together until a thick batter-like dough forms. You should be able to pull off individual pieces without it sticking to your fingers. Pull off 1-2 tablespoon sized chunks of dough and roll between your palms to create a dough ball. Let the dough rest for about five minutes.

  • When the stew has about ten minutes remaining, return the meat to the stew then begin adding the dough balls to the pot. The dough should form an even layer on the top of the stew.

  • Cover the pot and let cook for about 10-15 minutes, until the dough is cooked though and puffed up. Serve the stew to S.P.E.W. supporters, friendly wizards and of course, the boy who lived. Enjoy!

Keyword beef, dumplings, soup

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

House Elf Beef & Dumpling Stew | Harry Potter Inspired Recipes (2024)

FAQs

How to make the perfect beef stew and the common mistakes to avoid? ›

The Five Most Common Beef Stew Mistakes
  1. Choosing a meat that's too lean. Stew is not meant for all cuts of meat. ...
  2. Putting too much flour on the stew meat before sautéeing them. ...
  3. Not using wine. ...
  4. Putting the meat and vegetables together in one pan. ...
  5. Not cooking it enough.
Jun 28, 2020

How do you make stew taste richer? ›

If it tastes off-balance, add some finishing flavors to bring it to the next level. Try adding soy sauce or Worcestershire for extra savory (or umami) flavor, a touch of honey or brown sugar for sweetness, lemon zest or vinegar for brightness or chili powder or smoked paprika for spice and depth.

Why add vinegar to beef stew? ›

The addition of the vinegar adds subtle acidity that balances well with the soy sauce and the honey giving this otherwise super hearty beef stew a nice lightness to it. Feel free to add sweet potato noodles(glass noodles) or egg noodles to this dish, serve it alongside rice, or as-is.

What can I add to beef stew to make it taste better? ›

Vegetables: small chopped carrots, celery, and onion or shallot practically melt into the sauce. Mushrooms: button mushrooms are a nod to the quartered mushrooms many classic beef stew recipes call for, but are thinly sliced instead of being left in bigger pieces. Garlic: minced garlic brings lots of cozy flavor.

How to deepen the flavor of beef stew? ›

Seasoning Your Stew

For seasonings, I like Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and a good red wine. I've also used a dark beer in place of the wine and been very happy with the results. You can certainly play with your own favorite seasonings, but I would recommend keeping them fairly simple.

What is the secret to good stew? ›

"Soups and stews really need to simmer for long periods to allow the ingredients to meld together. Taking that a step further, most soups and stews are better if you prepare them the day before serving. Allowing them to cool and then reheating them really helps bring out the flavors and textures."

What is the secret to tender beef stew? ›

If you want super tender beef, you'll need to cook it on a low heat in a Dutch oven on the stove or a slow cooker for at least a few hours. Chuck meat is your best bet for beef stew, but it's also a pretty tough cut so it needs time to break down and become tender.

What not to put in beef stew? ›

So skip the roux, and don't bother dusting the meat with flour or cornstarch before browning, either, as some recipes will suggest. That will just interfere with getting a good sear on the meat, and gum up the stew with unneeded starch.

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