Beef, stilton and Guinness pie
- Preparation and cooking time
- Total time
- + 2 hours in the oven + marinating
- A little effort
- Serves 4
- 1kg braising beeftrimmed of excess fat and cut into large chunks
- 2 cloves garlicchopped
- a small bunch thymeleaves stripped
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 500ml can Guinness
- 6 tbsp flourseasoned
- 8 shallotshalved
- 500g puff pastryfresh or frozen (defrosted)
- 100g stiltoncrumbled (Colston Basset is good)
- 1 beaten eggto glaze
Method
step 1
Cut 1kg braising beef into large chunks.
Put the beef, 2 chopped cloves of garlic, a small bunch of thyme leaves, 1 tbsp black peppercorns and 500ml Guinness into a bowl.
Cover and marinate for 2 hours.step 2
Take out the beef, pat dry and toss in 6 tbsp flour. Strain the marinade and keep the liquid.
Heat some oil in a casserole dish and brown the beef all over.
Remove, brown 8 halved shallots in the dish, then return the beef and the marinade to the pan.
Cover and simmer for about 1½ hours or until tender.step 3
Heat the oven to 200c/fan 180c/gas 6. Roll out a 500g block of puff pastry to the thickness of a pound coin.
Sprinkle 100g stilton over one half, fold the other half on top and roll again to the same thickness.
Cut out pastry to fit the tops of 4 pie dishes (or use one big one).
Divide the filling between the dishes, brush a little beaten egg around the rims and top with pastry.
Crimp the edges and brush with more egg.
Cook for 20-25 minutes until the pastry is golden.