Should serve around 8

Coat the lamb chops with the sea-soned flour and put them into a saucepan. Add the onions, carrots and pearl barley. Then sprinkle on the casserole seasoning and tuck in the bay leaf. Pour over the water and bring to the boil. Skim off any scum that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and simmer very gently for 30 minutes, then add the potatoes and cook for a further 1 -2 hours, or until the potatoes are done.

WARNING!!!!!!!    This stew needs constant attention, stir every 10 - 15 minutes.

To make the dumplings: sift the flour and seasoning into a bowl. Stir in the suet and parsley, then add enough water to bind to a fairly elastic dough. Divide the dough into either 8 large or 16 small portions and shape each into a ball. About 30 minutes before the lamb has finished cooking, check that the liquid is on the boil and drop the dumplings into the pan. Replace the lid and finish the cooking on a high heat. Be careful not to burn the bottom of the pan.

A better way to cook the dumplings is in a steamer and then add them to the stew just before serving.