BEEF STEW WITH HERBED DUMPLINGS

4 lbs. boneless beef chuck, cut into l” cubes
2 tbsps. peanut oil
4 thick sliced bacon strips chopped
3 cups finely chopped onions
3 garlic cloves finely chopped
l tsp. dried thyme
l bay leaf
5-l/2 cups canned beef broth
l l4-l/2 oz. can crushed tomatoes with added puree
6 med. carrots, preeled cut diagnlly into l” pieces
3 med. rutabagas peeled cut into3/4″ pieces
Dumplings:
2/3 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
3 tbsps. minced chives
2 tbsp. minced fresh Italian parsley
l-l/2 cups flour
4 tsp. baking powder
l/2 tsp. salt
3 tbsps. cornstarch
For stew: position rack in center of oven; heat 325. Pat beef fry. Sorinkle with s&p. Heat oil in heavy lae ovenproof pot over med high heat. Working in atches cook beef until brown, stirring occasionally and scraping up browned bits about 8 mins. Transfer meat to bowl. Add bacon to same pot. Sauce until crisp, scraping up browned bits about 5 mins. Add onins, galric, thyme and bay leaf. Cover and cook until onions are tender, stirring. about l0 mins. Return beef and any juices to pot. Add 5 cups beef broth and crushed tomatoes with puree. Cover and bring to simmer. Transfer pot to oven. Bake until beef is just tender, stirring about l hr. Add carrots and retabageas. Cover, bake until veggies are crisp gtender, about 30 mins. Uncover, bake until beef is verytender, about 25 mins. Meanwhile prepare dumplings: Whisk milk and eggs in med. bowl to blend. Stir in chives and parsley. let stand at room temp30 mins. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into large bowl. Add milk mixture. Stir just until blended. Whisk remaining .l/2 cup canned beef broth and cornstarch in small bowl to blend. Bring stew to simmer over med heat. Gradually stir cornstarch mixture into stew. Return stew to simmer, stirring until sauce thickens. Spoon dumpling batter in l2 dollops atop simmering stew. Cover tightly; simmer until dumplings are puffed and tester inserted into center of dumplings comves out clean, about l5 mins. Serve stew tih dumplings. Serves 4 Bon Appetit March l999