Beef In Red Wine/ Beef And Mushroom Pie

Ingredients (Each recipe serves 2-3)

3 tbs sunflower oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

800 g lean braising steak, cut into chunks

2 tbs plain flour

300 ml red wine

200 ml beef stock

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

12 small shallots, peeled

125 g back bacon, chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 carrots, cut into thin sticks (optional)

Thyme leaves, to garnish

For the pie:

15 g butter

75 g button mushrooms, sliced

250 g puff pastry

1 egg yolk

1 Heat 1 tbs oil in a heavy-based saucepan. Add the onion and cook for 5-6 minutes, until golden, adding the garlic for the last minute. Add another tbs of oil and the braising steak and cook for 4-5 minutes to brown.

2 Stir in the flour, then gradually add the red wine and stock. Bring to the boil, add the thyme leaves and reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 1½ hours.

3 Heat the remaining oil and add the shallots and bacon. Cook for 5 minutes to brown. Drain off any excess fat and stir the shallots and bacon into the casserole. Simmer for a further hour. Adjust the seasoning.

4 Remove half the recipe and leave to cool, then freeze. If you wish to add another vegetable, add the carrots to the remaining beef in red wine and simmer for 30 minutes, until carrots are tender. Serve the beef in red wine with mashed potato and a rocket and tomato salad. Garnish with a few sprigs of fresh thyme.

To make the Beef and Mushroom Pie:

1 Defrost the beef in red wine. Melt the butter in a small frying-pan and sauté the mushrooms for 2-3 minutes. Stir into the beef.

2 Pre-heat the oven to 200°C, fan 180°C, Gas Mark 6. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface into an oval or round 4 cm wider than the pie dish, using the dish as a guide. Cut a 2.5 cm strip from the outer edge of the pastry. Dampen the rim on the dish and place the pastry strip on the edge. Transfer the pie filling into the dish.

3 Cover with the pastry lid and press lightly to seal. Trim off any excess pastry and, using a knife, knock up the edges and then flute them. If wished, score a criss-cross pattern across the top of the pastry and decorate with pastry leaves cut from the trimmings.

4 Beat the egg yolk with a little water and use to glaze the pastry top. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is golden and filling is hot. Serve with a green vegetable, if wished.