Beef and Guinness Pie
Serves 4
- 2 onions
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 carrots
- 3 stalks of celery
- 2 fresh bay leaves
- ½ a bunch of fresh thyme
- olive oil
- 500 g stewing beef (2.5cm dice)
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 600 ml Guinness
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 450 g potatoes
- 75 ml milk
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Peel and roughly chop the onions, garlic and carrots, then trim and roughly chop the celery. Tie the bay and thyme sprigs together with string.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large casserole pan over a medium heat. and add the vegetables and herbs. Toss everything in the oil to coat, then season.
- Cook, covered, for 10 minutes, or until the veg is softening, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a plate.
- Toss the beef in the flour and season, then add to the pan and cook until browned all over (you may need to do this in batches).
- Deglaze the pan with the Guinness. Add the veg and herbs, then top up with water if needed, to just cover the meat and veg.
- Stir in the brown sugar. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for about 2 hours, or until the meat is tender.
- Cook the potatoes in a large pan of boiling salted water, then drain.
- Mash with the milk, butter and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper.
- Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6.
- Put the meat in an ovenproof dish, top with the mash and drizzle with oil.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden and crisping up.