20g flour, seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for dusting
40g butter
2 onions, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed to a paste
2 medium carrots, roughly chopped
150g button mushrooms
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
250ml good-quality ale
300ml essential cuisine beef stock
1 tbsp. tomato puree
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 free range whole egg yolk beaten with a little milk
300g ready-made rolled puff pastry
Pre heat a heavy based casserole dish on the hob
Dip the meat into the seasoned flour
Heat half the butter in the pan and add the meat
Sear all over until golden brown
Add the puree & cook out for 2 minutes
In a separate pan sweat the vegetables, mushrooms and herbs, then pour in the ale and stock
Pour this mix over the meat
Bring to a simmer, then cover with a lid and gently simmer for 2 hours or until tender
Once cooked, season the stew, add the remaining butter and tip into an ovenproof serving dish
Preheat the oven to 190ºc fan assisted oven
Brush the edge of the dish with the beaten egg yolk
Roll out the pastry using as little flour as possible large enough to cover the pie dish, cutting a small hole in the centre to let out steam when pie is cooking
With the trimmings roll out a 1 cm strip to cover the edge of pie dish around the rim
Lay the top over and pinch the edges of the dish so that the pastry will stick to the rim and trim off any remaining pieces of pastry from around the edge
Brush the pastry top with the beaten egg and place on a baking tray
Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is golden brown on top
Serve with all butter mash, pickled red cabbage & extra gravy
