Happy St Patrick’s Day, and a hearty Beef and Guinness Pie

Lá fhéile Pádraig sona dhuit! I hope that’s right!?!  Just in case, Happy St Patrick’s Day!  I hope you all have a great day today!

I know I said on Friday that I was going to resist the urge to cook up some hearty comfort food for a little longer, but in a nod to all the Irish out there, I thought this Beef and Guinness pie would make a perfect St Patrick’s Day meal (and perhaps a welcome break from all the salads I’ve been posting).

It was also the perfect dish to cook yesterday as I found myself stuck at home occupied with assignments and deadlines, so no where else to be but still not a lot of time to fuss in the kitchen.

The pie itself is really easy to make (especially since I used pre-made puff pastry), but you just need to have some spare time in advance to make a start on the filling.  If you can’t make it today, it’s definitely one to try soon. 

Sláinte (Cheers) x

Beef and Guinness Pie

2014-03-16 22:00:23

Serves 4

A hearty and delicious pie

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Ingredients

1. 2-3 tbsp olive oil
2. 2 medium onions, peeled and diced
3. 3 cloves garlic, peeled and diced
4. 2 carrots, diced
5. 2 sticks celery, trimmed and diced
6. 4 field mushrooms, peeled and sliced
7. 1 kg good quality stewing beef, cut into 1.5 – 2cm cubes
8. a few sprigs fresh rosemary and thyme, leaves picked and chopped
9. a pinch of salt
10. black pepper, freshly ground
11. 440 ml Guinness
12. 2 tbsp plain flour, heaped
13. 1 – 2 sheets puff pastry (depending on size of your pie dish)
14. 1 large egg, beaten

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven (or oven-proof pan), over a low heat.
3. Add the onions and cook for about 10 minutes, until they turn soft and translucent.
4. Increase the heat, then add the garlic, carrots and celery. Stir together for a couple of minutes then add the mushrooms and stir together.
5. Next add the beef, herbs, salt and pepper and fry for 3-4 minutes (so that the meat is browned).
6. Add the Guinness and then the flour and stir until it combines. Then add enough water so that it just covers all the ingredients.
7. Bring to a simmer, then cover with a lid and place in the preheated oven for 1.5 hours.
8. Remove from the oven and stir the stew. If at this stage the stew is starting to look a bit dry, add a little more water (or Guinness), then return to the oven and leave for another hour, or until the meat is tender and the stew is rich, dark and thick.
9. Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly. Check the flavour and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
10. Pour the stew into a pie dish and then cover with puff pastry. Brush the pastry with the egg.
11. Place the pie on the lower shelf of the oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed and golden.
12. Remove and serve immediately.

Notes

1. Serve with green peas and/or creamy mash potato.
2. Although I don’t own a slow cooker, if you do, then the recipe should be easily adaptable to prepare the stew in that instead of the oven.

Adapted from Jamie Oliver

Adapted from Jamie Oliver

A Sweet Muddle http://www.asweetmuddle.com/