It's the final day of Dean Edwards' pie week and he gives us something that will really warm us up over the weekend - hearty steak and ale!
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
1kg skirt steak (in inch cubes)
2 tbs plain flour
150g baby button mushrooms
2 medium onion, diced
2 carrot, peeled and diced
2 sticks of celery, diced
400ml ale
400ml beef stock
2 tbs Worcester sauce
1 tsp English mustard
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 500g pack of shop-bought short crust pastry
1 egg, beaten
Method:
1. Flour the cubed beef then brown in a very hot pan until golden (you may have to do this in batches) then add in the finely diced carrot, onion, celery, mushrooms, bay and thyme in a pan and cook for a further 5 minutes until softened.
2. Deglaze with the ale and add enough beef stock to just cover.
3. Stir through the mustard and Worcester sauce. Cover with a lid and cook over a low heat for approximately 1 hour.
4. Season with salt and pepper. Leave to cool slightly.
5. Roll out the pastry until its the thickness of a £1 coin then cut into a circle larger than your pie dish.
6. Transfer the beef filling into your dish, wet the edges of the dish with a little water then lay over the pastry lid, crimp down to the edge of the pie dish then trim away any excess pastry. Brush with some of the beaten egg then transfer to a pre heated oven set at 200c / 180c fan for 30-35 minutes.
7. Serve with some mashed potatoes and some buttered greens.