CHUNKY BEEF AND MUSHROOM PIE

CHUNKY BEEF AND MUSHROOM PIE 0.7 oz dried porcini mushrooms (slices, whole or chopped) (Note 1) 1 ¼ cups / 312 ml boiled water 2 lb chuck beef , cut into 1” cubes (Note 2) 1 – 2 tbsp vegetable oil 2 garlic cloves , minced 1 onion , finely chopped 1 celery , finely chopped 1 carrot , finely chopped 3 carrots , halved lengthwise then cut into 1.5cm/ 3/5” chunks 1/3 cup flour (any) 300 ml 10 oz dark ale (or substitute with red wine, Guinness or more beef stock) 2 cups beef stock 3 sprigs thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme leaves 2 bay leaves , fresh or dried 7 oz bacon , diced 10 – 13 oz Swiss brown mushrooms , larger ones halved 1 – 2 sheets puff pastry (enough to cover pie) 1 egg yolk lace porcini in a bowl and add hot water. Leave to soak for at least 30 minutes. Strain mushrooms and reserve soaking liquid. Roughly chop porcini. Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large heavy based pot. Add half the beef and brown all over, then remove and repeat with remaining beef. Set beef aside. Turn stove down to medium low. If the pot is looking dry, add more oil. Add onion and garlic, cook for 2 minutes. Add finely chopped carrots and celery, cook for 6 minutes or until softened and sweet (taste test!). Add carrot chunks and cook for 2 minutes. Add flour and stir through. Add ale, beef stock, and stir to dissolve the flour. Add thyme, bay leaves, porcini, reserved porcini soaking liquid (don’t tip in gritty bits settled at bottom) and cooked beef. Turn heat up slightly, mix, bring to simmer, then cover. Adjust heat so it is simmering gently, not energetically. Cook for 1 hr 45 minutes or until beef is tender. (See video) Meanwhile, cook bacon in a skillet over high heat until golden. Remove and reserve bacon drippings in pan. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes until golden all over. Return bacon into skillet, toss to coat mushrooms, then stir through stew. Simmer stew, uncovered, for 15 minutes until mushrooms are tender. Then remove from stove and cool. To cook: Preheat oven to 200C/390F. Pour stew into a pie dish, even out surface. Pictured pie dish is 24 x 20 x 4.5 cm / 10 x 8 x 1.8″ (1.5L / 1.5 Qt) – see Notes for more conversions. Top with puff pastry (if too big, just fold the ends in), brush with egg yolk. Cut a few slits in the surface then bake for 30 – 35 minutes until deep golden and the filling is piping hot in the middle (stick a knife in to check). Rest for 5 minutes before serving! Recipe Notes Dried porcini mushrooms add a savoury earthiness to the gravy. In nerdy food terms, it’s called “umami” and it really takes this pie to the next level. However, even if you can’t get a hold of it, it is still very much worth making this pie. Or try using other dried mushrooms! Any slow cooking cut of beef is ideal for this recipe. Chuck beef and gravy beef are my favourites, brisket is also good. I would not recommend using bolar blade roast or other lean cuts of beef as they will dry out. SLOW COOKER: Skip the beef broth and use 2 x crumbled beef stock cubes instead. Follow recipe up to step 7 then transfer everything into a slow cooker (liquid might not cover everything, that’s ok). Slow cook for 6 hours on low, or 3 hours on high. Then add cooked bacon and mushrooms, slow cook for another 45 minutes or do this step on the stove. If the liquid did not thicken to a thin gravy, simmer it uncovered on the stove. When it cools, the sauce thickens more. PRESSURE COOKER: As with slow cooker directions but pressure cook on high for 25 minutes.