We recently started buying our veggies from a local organic and biodynamic producer in the Gold Coast hinterland. Its becoming a family ritual every Sunday to drive down through the beautiful valley and load up with produce for the week ( and water from their spring). I’m really passionate about supporting local farmers and when it comes to food you really get to vote with your dollar.
You can pick your own herbs and lettuce and I love seeing Marley running around pushing her face into giant basil bushes, scrunching her little nose up and inhaling the sweet smell with a deep and exaggerated breath.
Its no wonder every Sunday I’m so inspired to cook up a feast for our family and anyone else who happens to pop in. I think its also this cosy, snuggly weather that makes you just want to cook warm, wholesome food. We don’t get much of a winter on the Gold Coast so I’m reveling in it.
On Saturday night I put some Osso Bucco in the slow cooker overnight with no idea what I would do with it, but after picking the most beautiful basil at the farm I decided on Slow Cooked Beef Stew with Ricotta Bail Dumplings. I also had a lot of kale to use up and some beautiful kalamata olives so in they went as well. The flavors worked beautifully together. When you try the recipe let me know what you think.
- 1kg osso buco
- 4 cups beef stock
- 3 Tbls tomato paste
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- Sea salt and black pepper to season
- 4 stalks kale
- 12 kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- Dumplings
- 2 cups fresh ricotta
- 1 cups finely grated parmesan
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ cup all purpose wholemeal flour
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 1 handful of basil, finely chopped
- Brown the meat over medium to high heat. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a slow cooker. Add garlic and cover with beef stock and tomato paste. Set the slow cooker to low and allow to cook for at least 8 hours.
- When the meat is tender and falling off the bone, transfer to a pan along with all the liquid and reduce over medium heat until thick.
- Take the leaves off the stalks and roughly chop the kale, then add it along with the olives to the stew.
- While the sauce is cooking make the dumplings by placing ricotta, parmesan, egg yolk, wholemeal flour, salt and basil in a bowl and mix well to combine.
- Shape tablespoons of the mixture into dumplings and cook in a large saucepan of boiling salted water over high heat for 3-4 minutes or until they rise to the surface.
- Add the dumplings to the sauce and coat well before serving.
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The stew looks delicious. I stumbled upon your blog today and I love it! Love your beautiful photos and your story! You have the best bucket list I’ve seen 🙂
Hi Julia Thank you so much for your kind words!! You made my day.