Post by tassi on Nov 1, 2009 0:02:04 GMT -6
STEAK. GUINNESS & OYSTER PIE
Oysters, Guinness, beef and pastry are a few of my favourite things, so for me this pie is simply heavenly. Buy good chuck steak and make or buy superb puff pastry. It will make all the difference.
800g best-quality chuck steak, cubed 1cm
100g flour, seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, peeled and diced 1cm
2 carrots, peeled and diced 1cm
2 cups veal or beef stock
2 large potatoes, peeled and diced 2cm
2 sticks celery, diced 1cm
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons thyme leaves
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
500ml Guinness
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
18 oysters, shucked and juices reserved
300g best-quality puff pastry
flour for rolling the pastry
1 egg, lightly beaten + 2 tablespoons cream for egg wash
Toss the chuck steak in the flour to coat well, shaking off any excess. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-based casserole.
Brown the meat in small batches then remove with a slotted spoon and place in a large bowl. Use the same casserole to brown the onions and carrots. Add the onion and carrot to the beef and discard any excess oil.Deglaze the casserole with the veal or beef stock (scrape down any caramelised meat juices with a wooden spoon) then put the beef, carrots and onions back in the dish along with the potatoes, celery, bay leaves, thyme, brown sugar, cider vinegar, Guinness, sea salt and plenty of black pepper. Stir well, place over a moderate heat and bring to a gentle boil.
Place a piece of baking paper directly over the meat then cover with a tightfitting lid. Cook the beef in a low to moderate oven (160ºC) for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally and adding more Guinness if necessary, until the beef is extremely tender.
While the beef is cooking, dust a clean work surface with flour and roll the pastry to fit the top of a 20cm pie dish or similar. Transfer the pastry to a plate or tray, cover with plastic wrap and rest in the refrigerator for at least half an hour.Once the beef is cooked, add the oysters and their juices and stir in well. Check the pie filling for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Pour the beef into a pie dish and in the centre put a pie vent or pie funnel (the hole in the top will release the steam).
Lightly egg wash the sides of the pie dish and place the pastry over the top.Trim the edges and make a hole in the centre to allow the pie to release its steam through the vent. Lightly egg wash the top of the pie and if desired, use excess pastry to make patterned leaves or the like to decorate. Place the pie in a hot oven (220ºC) for 30 minutes or until the pie is golden.Serve with buttered Brussels sprouts and creamy mashed potato. Serves 6.
Oysters, Guinness, beef and pastry are a few of my favourite things, so for me this pie is simply heavenly. Buy good chuck steak and make or buy superb puff pastry. It will make all the difference.
800g best-quality chuck steak, cubed 1cm
100g flour, seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, peeled and diced 1cm
2 carrots, peeled and diced 1cm
2 cups veal or beef stock
2 large potatoes, peeled and diced 2cm
2 sticks celery, diced 1cm
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons thyme leaves
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
500ml Guinness
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
18 oysters, shucked and juices reserved
300g best-quality puff pastry
flour for rolling the pastry
1 egg, lightly beaten + 2 tablespoons cream for egg wash
Toss the chuck steak in the flour to coat well, shaking off any excess. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-based casserole.
Brown the meat in small batches then remove with a slotted spoon and place in a large bowl. Use the same casserole to brown the onions and carrots. Add the onion and carrot to the beef and discard any excess oil.Deglaze the casserole with the veal or beef stock (scrape down any caramelised meat juices with a wooden spoon) then put the beef, carrots and onions back in the dish along with the potatoes, celery, bay leaves, thyme, brown sugar, cider vinegar, Guinness, sea salt and plenty of black pepper. Stir well, place over a moderate heat and bring to a gentle boil.
Place a piece of baking paper directly over the meat then cover with a tightfitting lid. Cook the beef in a low to moderate oven (160ºC) for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally and adding more Guinness if necessary, until the beef is extremely tender.
While the beef is cooking, dust a clean work surface with flour and roll the pastry to fit the top of a 20cm pie dish or similar. Transfer the pastry to a plate or tray, cover with plastic wrap and rest in the refrigerator for at least half an hour.Once the beef is cooked, add the oysters and their juices and stir in well. Check the pie filling for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Pour the beef into a pie dish and in the centre put a pie vent or pie funnel (the hole in the top will release the steam).
Lightly egg wash the sides of the pie dish and place the pastry over the top.Trim the edges and make a hole in the centre to allow the pie to release its steam through the vent. Lightly egg wash the top of the pie and if desired, use excess pastry to make patterned leaves or the like to decorate. Place the pie in a hot oven (220ºC) for 30 minutes or until the pie is golden.Serve with buttered Brussels sprouts and creamy mashed potato. Serves 6.