Beef Stilton And Ale Pie Food

WARWICK DAVIS' STEAK & STILTON PIE

Steps:

• Slice the beef into 2.5cm chunks, then toss with the flour and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper.
• Drizzle 2 tablespoons of oil into a large pan on a medium heat, then brown the beef all over. Remove to a plate, leaving the pan on the heat.
• Peel and roughly chop the onions, carrots and celery. Add to the pan with the bay leaves and cook for 5 minutes, or until starting to soften, stirring occasionally. Remove to the plate with the meat.
• Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and chop into 1cm cubes. Pour the wine into the empty pan and leave it to reduce by half, then add the meat and softened veg back to the pan, along with the potatoes.
• Pour in the stock, bring to the boil, then reduce to medium-low and simmer for 2 hours 30 minutes, or until the meat is tender, adding splashes of water to loosen, if needed. Once cooked, season to perfection and leave to cool.
• For the pastry, put the flour and a good pinch of sea salt into a food processor, cube and add the butter, then pulse until just combined. Pick and roughly chop the herb leaves, add to the processor with 100ml of ice-cold water, and pulse again until it forms a rough dough. Wrap in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 170ºC/325ºF/gas 3 and lightly oil a 20cm loose-bottomed round cake tin.
• Roll out two-thirds of the pastry on a clean flour-dusted surface to 2mm thick. Loosely roll it around the rolling pin and unroll it over the cake tin, gently easing it into the shape of the tin. Patch up any holes and trim the edges.
• Spoon in two-thirds of the cooled filling (freeze the rest and serve as a stew another day). Crumble over the Stilton and brush the pastry edges with beaten egg.
• Roll out the remaining pastry so it's slightly bigger than the tin and top the pie, crimping the edges to seal. Make a small incision in the centre so steam can escape. Use any spare pastry to decorate the pie, if you like.
• Eggwash the top, then bake at the bottom of the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the pastry is golden and the pie is piping hot. Leave to stand for 30 minutes, then serve up. Delicious with creamy mash, extra gravy and steamed seasonal greens.

BEEF AND ALE PIE

Steps:

• Dip the meat into the seasoned flour, then place a large lidded pan on the hob.
• Heat half the butter in the pan and add the meat. Sear all over until golden brown.
• Add the vegetables and herbs, then pour in the ale and stock. Bring to a simmer, then cover with a lid and gently simmer on the stove for 1½ hours.
• Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7.
• Once cooked, season the stew, add the remaining butter and tip into an ovenproof serving dish. Brush the edge of the dish with the beaten egg.
• If necessary, roll out the pastry using as little flour as possible and place over the dish. Pinch the edges of the dish so that the pastry will stick to it and trim off any remaining pieces of pastry from around the edge. Cut the leftover pastry into leaves and add them to the top, using the beaten egg as a 'glue', for decoration.
• Brush the pastry top thoroughly with the remaining beaten egg and place on a baking tray. Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes until the pastry is golden brown on top. Serve.

BEEF AND STILTON PIE

Steps:

• Use the pastry to line a medium sized oven proof pie dish.
• For the pie filling, place the beef, garlic, thyme, peppercorns and ale into a bowl. Cover with cling film and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours, but preferably overnight.
• Remove the beef from the marinade, pat dry with kitchen paper and dredge in the seasoned flour. Strain the marinade through a fine sieve into a clean bowl and set aside.
• Heat the oil and 1 tbsp of the butter in a flameproof casserole dish and fry the beef in small batches for 2-3 minutes each time, or until browned all over. Once the meat is browned, remove from the casserole dish and set aside.
• Return the casserole dish to the heat and fry the mushrooms and shallots for 4-5 minutes, or until softened.
• Return the beef and the reserved marinating liquid to the casserole and add the beef stock. Cover with a lid and gently simmer for 1½ hours, or until the beef is tender.
• Strain off half of the cooking liquid from the casserole dish and set aside to make gravy for serving.
• Crumble the Stilton into the casserole and stir until melted. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper and set aside to cool.
• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
• Put the pie filling into the pie shell and top with a layer of pastry. -Remember to cut slits in the top and crimp the edges together, then glaze with beaten egg.
• Cook for approx 40 mins until pastry is golden.
• Place the reserved cooking liquid into a clean pan and simmer for 8-10 minutes, or until reduced to a gravy consistency. Stir in the remaining tbsp of butter until melted, and the sauce is smooth and glossy. Keep warm.
• Serve the pie with the gravy and veg (celeriac mash goes well).

NEXT LEVEL STEAK & ALE PIE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Heat the vegetable oil in a large casserole dish and gently fry the bacon for 5 mins until lightly browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. In the same pan, brown the beef well in batches for 5-8 mins, adding a drizzle more oil if you need to, then set aside.
• Add the onions and carrots to the pan and cook on a low heat for 5 mins. Stir in the flour, then add the tomato purée, vinegar and miso, if using. Tip the beef and bacon, along with any juices, back into the pan and give it all a good stir. Pour in the ale and stock, and nestle in the thyme stalks and bay. Season generously and bring to a simmer. Cover with a lid and cook in the oven for about 2 hrs or until the meat is really tender. Leave everything to cool slightly, then strain off about half the braising liquid into another container. Leave to cool completely. Can be made up to two days ahead and kept chilled in the fridge - the pie will be better if the filling is fridge-cold when added. Can also be frozen for up to three months.
• To make the pastry, mix the flour, mustard powder, lard and butter with a generous pinch of sea salt until completely combined, then gradually add up to 250ml ice-cold water to make a soft dough. This can be done in a food processor if you prefer. Knead the thyme leaves into the pastry, then cover and leave to rest in the fridge for at least 1 hr. Can be made up to two days ahead and kept chilled, or frozen for up to a month.
• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and put a baking tray in the oven. Heavily butter a 26-28cm pie dish and dust well with flour. Cut off a third of the pastry and set aside. Roll out the remaining pastry to a thick round that will easily line the pie dish with an overhang, then line the tin. Tip in the beef mixture. You want the filling to be slightly higher than the rim of the dish. Brush the edges with egg yolk. Roll out the remaining pastry to a thick round, big enough to cover the pie, then lift onto the pie dish. Trim the edges, crimp together, then re-roll the trimmings and cut into decorative shapes, such as leaves. Brush the top with more yolk. Make a hole in the centre of the pie with a knife, and put it on the hot baking tray.
• Bake for 20 mins, remove, brush again with yolk, scatter with sea salt and bake for 20-25 mins until golden. Leave to rest for 10 mins while you heat up the extra gravy.

STEAK & BLUE CHEESE PIE

Steps:

• First, make the pastry. Put the flour, mustard powder, ½ tsp salt, the lard and butter in a food processor and pulse until combined. Add 1 egg and pulse again. Add 1 tbsp cold water, if needed, until it forms a short pastry. Knead quickly into a ball, then wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 30 mins. Can be made three days ahead or frozen for two months.
• Season the steak generously and toss with the flour and mustard powder. Heat half the oil in a large pan. Brown the meat in a few batches, adding more oil as you need to and making sure you don't overcrowd the pan. Turn the meat only when the underside has a nice dark crust. Transfer the chunks to a plate as you go.
• Add the bacon to the pan and fry until beginning to crisp. Tip in the carrots, onions and bay leaves and cook for another few mins until the veg is soft. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and tomato purée for 1 min, scraping the tasty bits from the bottom of the pan, then add the stock, thyme and browned beef. Season, cover the pan and simmer gently for 2½ hrs, stirring now and again to prevent the sauce from sticking, until the beef is tender. Remove the lid for the last 30 mins to thicken the sauce. Alternatively, braise in the oven at 160C/140C fan/gas 3 for the same amount of time. Leave to cool. Can be chilled for up to three days, or frozen for two months.
• Transfer the beef to a pie dish and crumble the cheese over the top. Place the marrowbone in the centre, nestling it into the meat. Alternatively, use a pie funnel or piping nozzle. Roll out the pastry on a floured worktop until large enough to cover the pie and about ½cm thick. Brush the remaining beaten egg over the edges of the pie dish, drape the pastry over, trim the excess and pinch around the edge to seal. Cut a hole for the marrowbone or pie funnel to poke through, and brush the top all over with beaten egg. Use the pastry trimmings to decorate the pie however you like. Chill for about 30 mins while you heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• If you have any beaten egg left, give the pie a final brush for extra glossiness. Bake for 45-50 mins until the pastry is deep golden.

BRITISH OPEN TOP STEAK, ALE AND STILTON PUB STYLE PIES

Steps:

• Peel and chop the onions. Cut up the braising steak into small cubes.
• Heat some oil in a large and deep saucepan. Add the onions and sauté gently for about five minutes until soft.
• Add the meat and cook to seal.
• Add the flour and stir in to meat juices.
• Continue to cook to cook out the flour, adding the beer gradually to prevent sticking to the pan until all the beer has been added.
• Add beef stock cubes, salt and pepper to taste and stir until dissolved.
• Add water to thin down the gravy. The amount will vary according to how much juice has come out of the meat so add gradually until the right consistency is achieved.
• Add the English mustard and mix well.
• Once boiling reduce the heat, cover and simmer very gently for at least two hours.
• Allow to cool slightly.
• Pre-heat oven to 210C/425°F.
• Roll out the ready made shortcrust pastry and line 4 individual pie moulds with it - I used a Yorkshire pudding tin - the diameter of the moulds in the tin was 5" - or use individual aluminium pie containers.
• Line each pastry round with greaseproof paper and bake blind for about 5 - 10 minutes; using baking beans or heavy beans to keep the pastry flat.
• Remove the greaseproof paper and beans; divide the steak in ale mixture between the 4 pies.
• Mix the Stilton cheese into the ready-made and well seasoned mashed potato and pile on top of the steak and pastry bases.
• Place a knob of butter on top of each mashed potato topping and bake in the oven for about 10 - 15 minutes, or until the pastry is crisp and the potato and Stilton cheese topping is golden brown & bubbling.
• Serve with extra ale gravy if desired and seasonal vegetables - OR allow to cool, wrap and take on a picnic!
• You can prepare and part cook your Steak and Ale Pie on the one day and then complete the cooking on the following day which will allow the flavours to come out even more.
• Suggested Ales: Theakson's Old Peculiar; Old Speckled Hen; Hobgoblin Strong Dark Ale; Hooky Dark.

BEEF & BEER PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Using a flameproof casserole dish with a lid, soften onion and celery in the butter. Stir in the flour until it has disappeared, then stir in the beef and Worcestershire sauce. Crumble in stock cubes and add thyme. Pour over ale, bring to a simmer, then cover and cook in the oven for 2½ hrs. Remove lid and cook for another 30 mins - this should thicken the sauce nicely.
• Increase oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. For the pastry, whizz the flour, suet and 1 tsp salt in a food processor until there are no suet lumps. Keeping the motor running, dribble in 1 tbsp water at a time until the pastry starts to come together, then tip onto a lightly floured surface and bring together with your hands.
• Roll out half the pastry and use to line a 20-22cm pie dish. Using a slotted spoon, spoon in all of the meat, then pour over some of the sauce until the meat is just coated. Put the rest of the sauce into a saucepan. Roll out the remaining pastry to cover the pie. Trim the edge with a small, sharp knife, then crimp or fork the edges to seal. Make a small heart from cuttings. Brush top of the pie and heart with beaten egg, then dip heart into poppy seeds and stick to top. Bake for 30-40 mins until golden brown and crisp. Reheat sauce and serve with the pie along with some mash and greens.