500g Shin Beef, trimmed & cut into large bite size pieces or Stewing Beef
1 carrot cut into chunky slices
1 onion, chopped
1 stick of celery, cut into chunks
1 tablespoon Tomato Puree
2 Bay Leaves
A few black peppercorns
500ml Beef Stock
1 small glass Red Wine (about 125 mls)
1 tablespoon flour
150g button Mushrooms or sliced Chestnut mushrooms
Rapeseed Oil
Knob of butter (about 50g)
1 sheet shop bought Puff Pastry
1 Egg, whisked
Method:
When you are ready to cook the beef, heat the oil in a large casserole over a fairly high heat.
Brown the beef on both sides and then remove to a plate.
Reduce the heat, add half of the butter and add the veg with a little salt.
Cover and cook for 5-10 mins or until the veg has softened.
Stir the tomato puree and flour in and cook out for a minute or two.
Pour the wine in and allow to bubble up for a moment or two until most of it is evaporated.
Put the beef back into the casserole and add the stock and the bay leaves.
Cover and simmer for 2 and a half to 3 hours or put in the oven at 180?C , 160?C Fan, Gas mark 4.
When the beef is so tender it is almost falling apart, it is ready.
In the meantime, fry the mushrooms until golden and cooked through in a mix of oil and the remainder of the butter and add to the stew at the end of it’s cooking time.
To top the stew with the pastry, wet the rim of the casserole dish with water and drape the pastry over. Seal the pastry with a fork all the way around or press on with your fingers.
Make some holes in the pastry to allow the steam to escape and brush with the egg. Return to the oven for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with greens.
