Beef Cheek, Portobello Mushroom & Gruyère Pie

Pictured page 136

Tender slow-cooked beef cheeks are the perfect filling for a winter pie.

1 tablespoon olive oil

Knob of butter

1 brown onion, diced

1 celery stick, diced

1 small carrot, peeled and diced 125g streaky bacon, thinly sliced 550g beef cheeks, cut into 4cm cubes 1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon smoked paprika 400g can chopped tomatoes

1 cup red wine

1 cup beef stock

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 2 cloves garlic, minced

1 bay leaf

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon cracked pepper 300g portobello mushrooms 600g good quality puff pastry

½ cup grated Gruyère cheese

1 egg, whisked

Heat oven to 160°C. Heat olive oil and butter in a large, heavy-based casserole dish. Add onion, celery, carrot and bacon and fry over a moderate heat for 5-8 minutes. Scrape the contents of the pan into a small dish and set aside.

Return the casserole dish to the heat and brown the beef cheeks on all sides, using a little extra oil if necessary. Do in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan.

Add the fried onions, celery, carrots and bacon back to the dish, along with the remaining filling ingredients, except the mushrooms. Bring to a simmer, cover and place in the oven for 4 hours.

Stir through the mushrooms, cover and return to the oven for 30 minutes. Once cooled, skim off any excess fat.

Increase the oven temperature to 200°C. Cut two pastry circles, for the lid and base of a 25cm pie tin. Line the tin with pastry and add the beef filling and cheese. Brush the edges of the pie with the egg wash, place the lid on top and gently seal the edges.

Cut a small cross into the centre of the pie and decorate with pastry scraps if desired. Brush the top with the egg wash and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Loosely cover with tinfoil and bake for a further 15 minutes. Serves 4-6

Fill a large saucepan with about 3cm of oil and heat oil to 180°C. Fry snapper in batches of 4-5, turning the pieces once.

Place burger buns under the grill until golden brown. Smear a generous spoonful of tartare on the base of each bun. Top with lettuce, snapper fillets and extra tartare sauce. Season and serve with a lemon wedge and cornichons. Serves 4