Dinner: Beef Stew with Herbed Dumplings

Ingredients

4 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons peanut oil
4 thick-sliced bacon strips, chopped
3 cups finely chopped onions
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
5 1/2 cups canned beef broth
1 14 1/2-ounce can crushed tomatoes with added purée
6 medium carrots, peeled, cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
3 medium rutabagas, peeled, cut into 3/4-inch pieces

Instructions

Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325 °F. Pat beef dry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook beef until brown, stirring occasionally and scraping up browned bits, about 8 minutes. Transfer meat to bowl.
Add bacon to same pot. Sauté until crisp, scraping up browned bits, about 5 minutes. Add onions, garlic, thyme and bay leaf. Cover and cook until onions are tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Return beef and any accumulated juices to pot. Add 5 cups canned beef broth and crushed tomatoes with purée. Cover and bring to simmer.
Transfer pot to oven. Bake until beef is just tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Add carrots and rutabagas. Cover; bake until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 30 minutes. Uncover; bake until beef is very tender, about 25 minutes.