Pie Weather

In this biting cold, a meat pie has undisputed appeal. You can choose your type of pastry topping ( I do love Suet Crust) then make it and the filling in advance so it hardly seems any work at all. Good quality stewing steak is all you need. There is a good recipe too for one using a tin of corned beef, which fts the cheap eats bill nicely.

Meat and Mushroom Pie for 4 at least

12oz - 1lb chuck/stewing steak cut into squares and trimmed of excess but not all fat
1/4 - 6oz button mushrooms
1 onion
1/2 pint guiness and 1/2 pint hot water and a beef stock cube ( the ale is optional obviously but it does give a good flavour)

1. Toss cubed meat to coat in 2 tbs seasoned flour first and then brown in hot oil.
2. Lift out and use the oil to soften and begin to brown the chopped onion
3. Add any remaining flour, stir in, cook a few seconds, put beef back in and then add first the ale and then the stock.
4. Add mushrooms whole, unless they are enormous.
5. Add S&P and at least 1 tbs worcester sauce.
6. Let this bubble very gently with the lid on for a couple of hours
   , till the meat is tender and the liquid is nicely thickened.
7. Now taste, then cool and put into a pie dish. If there is too much liquid, put the overflow into a small pan to reheat as gravy.
8. Cover with your chosen type of pastry, then cook in a hot oven No 6 for at least 30 minutes so that the top is brown and the filling reheated. If you have had the pie in the fridge, this will certainly take 30 minutes or even a little longer, but if your pastry looks cooked before this, turn the oven down slightly and, if necessary, cover the top with foil or greaseproof.

Corned Beef Pie

1 tin corned beef, kept in the fridge
1 onion
2 carrots

1. Fry the chopped onion and carrots in a little oil , letting them soften slowly.
2. Add the cubed beef and stir together without breaking the beef up too much.
3. Add some stock to cover and a thickening agent - I use Bisto.
4. Let this come to the boil, just long enough to thicken.
5. Add brown sauce, just a good squeeze for taste.
6. Put the mixture into a pie dish or a pie plate, saving any excess liquid as gravy, and cover with shortcrust.
7. Cook for 30 minutes or till pastry is nicely browned at No 6.