RECIPES WITH STEAK STRIPS AND PASTA RECIPES

1. Place a large casserole pan on a medium heat with 2 tablespoons of oil and the butter. Peel, finely slice and add the onions, then pick, finely chop and add the rosemary and thyme, along with the bay leaves. Cook for 20 minutes, or until the onions are soft and turning golden, stirring occasionally.
2. Slice the beef into rough 2cm strips, then clean and slice the mushrooms. Add both to the pan along with the tomato purée and a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper.
3. Stir in the balsamic, stout, flour and stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour 20 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened and the meat is tender.
4. Meanwhile, for the pastry, put the flour and a good pinch of salt into a bowl with the suet, cube and add the butter, then use your thumb and forefingers to rub the fat into the flour until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
5. Slowly stir in 125ml of ice-cold water, then use your hands to gently bring it together into a ball, but don’t overwork it. Wrap in clingfilm and place in the fridge for later.
6. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.
7. Ladle the stew into pie dishes – you can make a collection of small pies, or one or two larger ones – then finely grate or crumble over the cheese.
8. Roll out the pastry on a clean flour-dusted surface, so it’s slightly bigger than your pie dishes. Eggwash the edges of the dishes, then carefully place the pastry on top, trimming off any overhang. Pinch the edges to seal.
9. Decorate the tops with any offcuts, if you like, then brush with a little more egg. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the pastry is beautifully golden. Delicious served with steamed seasonal greens.

Preheat the oven to 160°C/fan 140°C/gas mark 3. Pat the meat dry with kitchen paper. Put the flour on a large plate or tray, then add the mustard and season. Coat one-third of the meat in the flour. Heat the oil in a large, non-stick frying pan until hot and fry the floured meat over a medium-high heat. Remove the meat from the pan using a slotted spoon and transfer to a flameproof casserole dish. Divide the remaining meat into 2 batches and repeat the flouring and browning, adding more oil if needed.

Add the onion to the frying pan, with a little more oil if necessary, and fry for 3 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently. Add the celery and carrots and stir to mix, then fry for 2 minutes before tipping the vegetables on top of the meat in the casserole.

Pour the Guinness and stock into the casserole dish and add the redcurrant jelly. Mix well and bring to the boil, stirring. Add the bay leaves and season. Cover the casserole and cook for 2½ hours or until the meat is tender. Remove from the oven, taste the gravy for seasoning and leave until cold.

Preheat the oven to 220°C/fan 200°C/gas mark 7. Roll out the pastry and cut out a lid and a strip for the lip of the pie dish. Remove the bay leaves from the casserole and stir in the parsley and thyme, then transfer the meat and vegetables to the pie dish using a large spoon, together with enough of the gravy to come just below the lip of the dish. Brush water around the lip of the dish then cut the pastry strip into smaller pieces and place the strips on the moistened lip. Moisten the strips, cover with the lid and press to seal.

Trim and scallop the edge, then brush the pastry lid with beaten egg to glaze. Use the trimmings to make decorations and re-glaze with as much of the remaining egg as needed. Cut a small slit in the centre of the lid.

Bake the pie for 30-35 minutes or until the pastry is risen and golden brown. If you have any gravy left over, reheat until bubbling, pour it into a jug, and serve alongside the pie.