Scotch Beef Steak & Ale Pie

Ingredients

• 900g/2lbs Scotch beef stewing steak
• vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
• 1 tbsp plain flour1 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.