Scotch Beef Steak & Ale Pie

Ingredients

• 900g/2lbs Scotch beef stewing steak
• vegetable oil 1
• medium onion, peeled and diced
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tbsp mushroom ketchup
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 handful fresh thyme, marjoram and chopped parsley
• 1 tsp English mustard
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and cracked black peppercorns
• 150ml /¼ pint beef stock
• 125ml /¼ pint ale
• 225g /9oz mushrooms
• 450g /1lb puff pastry

Method

Cut the beef into cubes about 2.5cm/1in square. Heat oil in a saucepan and fry onion, without colouring. Add beef, making sure the meat is at room temperature first, and cook until medium brown. Stir in the flour and cook until dark brown (about 1 minute). Add mushroom ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, marjoram, mustard, bay leaf and seasoning. Slowly add beef stock and ale then bring to the boil. Add mushrooms and simmer gently until beef is almost tender, approx. 1 ½ hours. Preheat oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Remove meat from heat, skim off any fat, adjust seasoning and add fresh chopped parsley. Place in pie dish or individual dishes. Cover pie dish (or dishes) with the pastry and trim edges. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until pastry is well-risen and golden brown.