Recipes of the Realms

Ingredients:

• 50g unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 onions chopped
• 250g Swiss brown mushrooms
• 800g beef chuck steak cut into 2cm cubes
• 200g veal kidneys or lamb kidneys trimmed, cut into 2cm cubes
• 2 tbsp plain flour seasoned
• 2 garlic cloves chopped
• 330ml bottle stout
• 1 1/2 cups (375ml) Massel beef stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 thyme sprigs leaves picked (plus extra leaves to garnish)
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp HP sauce (optional)
• 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 375g block frozen puff pastry thawed
• 1 egg beaten

Steps:

1. Melt butter and 1 tablespoon oil in a flameproof casserole over medium heat. Cook onions, stirring, for 2-3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes or until softened. Remove onion mixture and set aside.
2. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan. Toss kidneys in a little flour. Cook, turning, for 2-3 minutes to seal on all sides. Set aside.
3. Toss the beef in the remaining flour. In 2 batches, cook beef for 4-5 minutes until browned on all sides. Return kidney and onion to the pan. Add stout, bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 8-10 minutes until reduced by half.
4. Add stock, herbs, tomato paste and some salt and pepper, bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low. Partially cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender.
5. Remove meat and vegetables with a slotted spoon, discarding bay leaves, then simmer sauce over medium heat for 5-6 minutes until reduced to about 1 1/2 cups. Stir in HP sauce and parsley, return meat and vegetables to pan, then allow to cool.
6. Preheat the oven to 200°C(~400°F).
7. Roll out pastry on a floured surface until 5mm thick. Cut a 1cm strip of pastry that will fit around the rims of two 1-litre pie dishes. Use a pie dish as a template to cut pastry lids 1cm larger than the dishes.
8. Divide the pie mixture among dishes. Press pastry strips around pie dish rims and brush with water. Sit pastry lids on top and trim excess. Seal edges with a fork and brush with egg. Top with thyme sprigs, then bake for 25 minutes or until puffed and golden. Serve with HP sauce, if using.