1 handful chopped fresh parsley
salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE YORKSHIRE PUDDING LID:
25g (1oz) plain flour
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
300ml (10fl oz) milk
1 tbsp lard
Place the cubed beef and bouquet garni in a large bowl and pour over the ale. Cover with cling film and refrigerate overnight. The next day, strain the beef reserving the ale and bouquet garni until needed.
Heat the oil over a high heat in a large pan. Quickly fry the beef in batches until browned all over then set aside. Reduce the heat and gently fry the onion, garlic, carrots and celery for about 10 minutes. Stir in the flour, and continue frying and stirring for a further 5 minutes, making sure that there are no lumps of flour.
Add the reserved ale and bouquet garni to the pan and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half. Then add the stock, browned meat and mushrooms to the pot. Simmer gently for 1½ hours, stirring occasionally to make sure the mixture is not burning or sticking to the pan. Discard the bouquet garni, then stir in the parsley and season to taste.
Meanwhile, make the Yorkshire pudding batter. Put the flour and salt in a large bowl, then whisk in the eggs one at a time. Add the milk, and whisk until you have a smooth batter. Strain the mixture through a sieve and chill for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F/Gas 7). To cook the Yorkshire pudding lid, heat the lard in the oven for 5 minutes in a tin the same size and shape as the top of pie dish. Carefully pour the batter into the hot fat and cook in the oven for 30 minutes until risen and golden brown.
When ready to serve, simply pour the meat into a pie dish and top with the Yorkshire pudding lid before taking it to the table.
Serve with roast potatoes, Brussels sprouts and carrots.
Beef and Beer Pie with Sweet Potato Mash
Deliciously sweet with a gorgeous rich colour. Adding the sweet potato to the mash makes a nice alternative to just potatoes and is also lovely with bangers. Don’t worry about the alcohol in the lager, it burns off in the cooking.
SERVES 6
FOR THE FILLING:
1kg (2lb 4oz) chuck stewing or braising steak, cut into 4cm (1½in) cubes
1 tbsp plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
4 tbsp olive oil
2 knobs of butter
2 large red onions, chopped
6 large carrots, peeled and chopped into 1cm (½in) cubes
300ml (10fl oz) lager
6 juniper berries, crushed
2 sprigs rosemary
2 sprigs thyme
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
300ml (10fl oz) beef stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 handful chopped fresh parsley
FOR THE MASH:
4 small Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
50g (2oz) butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Roll the meat in the seasoned flour. Put the oil into a large pan on a medium to high heat and fry the meat in batches, until browned all over. Don’t put too much meat in the pan at any one time or it won’t brown properly. Remove the meat from the pan and reserve for later.
Reduce the heat to medium, add the butter and oil, then gently fry the onions and carrots until the onions are soft – about 10 minutes. Return the meat to the pan and add the lager, juniper berries, rosemary, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar and beef stock. Gently simmer for 1½ hours, stirring from time to time, and adding more stock if necessary.
Meanwhile, make the mash. Boil all the potatoes in plenty of salted water, until they are very soft when poked with a sharp knife. Drain the potatoes well and then mash with the butter and plenty of salt and pepper. I use a mouli (pictured on page) for a lovely lump-free mash. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F/Gas 7). Once the meat is done, remove the herb stalks and stir through the chopped parsley. Taste and season with salt and pepper accordingly. Pour the mixture into your pie dish and top with the mash, by spooning large dollops all over, then using the back of your spoon to smooth over until the meat is completely covered. Take a fork to rough the surface of the mash into small peaks, which will become lovely and brown with crispy bits. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes or until piping hot in the middle and golden on top.
Serve with buttered runner beans.
My daughter, Coco, refused to eat shepherd’s pie until she helped me make one; now she loves it. Kids are strange.
SERVES 6
FOR THE FILLING:
2 tbsp olive oil
a knob of butter
1 red onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 large stick celery, chopped
150g (5oz) chestnut mushrooms, chopped
½tsp dried thyme
salt and freshly ground black pepper
400g (14oz) lamb mince
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 handful flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 small glass red wine (about 150ml / 5fl oz)
400g (14oz) tin plum tomatoes
½tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp tomato purée
FOR THE MASH:
6 medium-sized Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and cubed
75ml (2½fl oz) milk