CONTRIBUTOR: BILL SIMPSON
FROM THE ROTARY CLUB OF WYNNUM MANLY’S ISOLATION: KITCHEN DESTINATION COOKBOOK
INGREDIENTS
- 1.5 kgs stewing beef (cut into 15mm cubes)
- 4 fatty rashers of bacon (sliced into 10mm squares)
- 5 tablespoons plain flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 large onions chopped
- 2 x 440ml cans Guinness
- 2 beef stock cubes dissolved in 300ml water
- 4 bay leaves
- Leaves from 3 thyme sprigs or a teaspoon of dried thyme
- 1 1⁄2 cups sliced button mushrooms
- 2 sheets puff pastry, thawed
- 1 egg beaten for glazing
- I cup corn kernels
- I cup peas
METHOD
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil into heavy frying pan and add the bacon and cook for 3 minutes or until brown.
- Remove bacon including fatty bits and rest until beef is cooked. (Leave bacon fat/olive oil in pan).
- Toss beef with seasoned flour in a bowl to coat. Shake off any excess flour.
- Add and heat the remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy saucepan with left over bacon fat and oil, adding the beef in batches, and cook until browned.
- When cooked return all beef to pan (including fried flour scraps), add bacon, garlic and onion, and cook, stirring for three minutes.
- Prepare slow cooker, add 2 x 440ml cans of Guinness and 300ml beef stock, with mushrooms, bay leaves and thyme. Set on high for 20 minutes before adding meat.
- Remove meat from pan, scraping all the sediment from the base of the pan and add to slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours until very tender and mix is thickened.
- Cool and spoon mixture into pie ramekins. Place corn and peas on top of beef. Cover with thawed puff pastry and use a fork or knife to make a vent. Glaze with beaten egg. Cook in a medium oven until pastry is golden and brown.
