Steak & Kidney Pie with Smoked Oysters

INGREDIENTS

750g of onglet, chopped into bite-sized chunks

400g of ox kidney, cored and chopped into a medium dice

1 red onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

250g of chestnut mushrooms, sliced

1 tbsp of tomato purée

2 sprigs of thyme, leaves removed and roughly chopped

1 bay leaf

smoked oysters, 1 tin, roughly chopped

100g of plain flour

300ml of beef stock

300ml of ale, dark

500g of shortcrust pastry

1 egg, beaten

salt

black pepper

butter, for frying

METHOD

1. Start by placing a large saucepan on the hob over a medium heat and add a knob of butter to melt. Add the onion and slowly sauté for about 15 minutes, until the slices go soft and start to caramelise

2. Add the garlic and herbs and stir through for another minute or so and then add the tomato purée and chopped smoked oysters and cook through for another couple of minutes. Then take off the hob

3. Next take a bowl and throw in the flour and add a liberal amount of salt and pepper, then add the chunks of steak and toss them around to get an even coating

4. Place a frying pan over a high heat, add some more butter and quickly cook off the steak, ensuring that it is browned all over with some nice crispy edges and then add to the vegetables and oysters. You will probably have to do this in two batches

5. Then, after adding even some more butter to the pan (sheesh!) again quickly fry off the diced kidney and add to the main pot. Deglaze the pan with some of the beer and pour over the meat mixture, along with the rest of the beer and the beef stock

6. Then place on the hob and bring up to a gentle simmer, add the sliced mushrooms, stir through and loosely cover and leave to slowly cook for 2 hours. When done, leave to cool slightly and preheat your oven to 180°C/gas mark 4.

7. When sufficiently cool, take a round pie dish or shallow casserole about 20 cms across and spoon the meat mixture in. Don’t fill to the top though, try and leave a gap of around 2cms. If you feel like there is too much liquor, use a slotted spoon for the meat mix and place the saucepan back on the hob to reduce the gravy further. Also, remove that bay leaf, if it still floating around in there

8. For the pastry ‘lid’ roll out your shortcrust on a floured surface, until it is the thickness of a pound coin and then drape over the top. Cut away the excess with a knife and press the pastry to the edge

9. With the excess pastry, you can roll into a long snake and line along the edge of the dish to make a lip of some description, but don’t forget to brush some water on the edge first. Liberally brush the pastry with the beaten egg and cut a small hole in the centre for the steam to escape

10. Place in the oven and cook for 35-40 minutes and then reduce the heat to 160°C/gas mark 3 and cook for a further 15 minutes, until the pastry is golden

11. Take out and serve by spooning a glorious lump of meaty filling on the plate, topped with a wedge of pastry, alongside some mash and green vegetables