Continental Beef Bounty Recipe

1 Saute onion slices in shortening until soft in a large frying pan; lift out with a slotted spoon and place in a 12-cup baking dish.
Brown sausages in drippings in pan; combine with onion.
2 Trim any fat from beef; cut beef into 1-inch cubes.
Shake with flour in a paper bag to coat evenly.
Brown, half at a time, in same frying pan; add to onion mixture with carrots.
3 Stir vegetable juice and salt into pan; heat to boiling, scraping browned bits from bottom of pan; pour over meat mixture.
Tie peppercorns and bay leaves in a tiny cheesecloth bag; add to baking dish; cover.
4 Bake in moderate oven (350°) 1 1/2 hours.
5 While meat cooks, trim cauliflower; break into flowerets.
Parboil in boiling water in a me-dium-size saucepan 5 minutes; drain.
Make GOLDEN DUMPLING PUFFS.
6 Stir cauliflower and celery into hot stew mix-ture; drop dumpling batter in 8 mounds around top.
7 Bake, uncovered, 1 hour longer, or until meat and vegetables are tender and dumplings are puffed and golden.
Remove seasoning bag before serving.
GOLDEN DUMPLING PUFFS—Melt 2 tablespoons butter or margarine in a small saucepan; stir in 1/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Cook, stirring constantly, just until bubbly; stir in 1/2 cup milk.
Continue cooking and beating until mixture forms a thick smooth ball that follows spoon around pan.
Remove from heat; cool slightly.
Separate 1 egg, placing white in a small bowl; beat yolk into cooled mixture until thick and shiny-smooth.
Beat egg white until it stands in firm peaks; fold into yolk mixture until no streaks of white remain.