Steak Pie With Guinness

• plain flour↗3 tablespoons
• English mustard powder↗1 teaspoon
• salt↗
• black pepper↗
• stewing beef, trimmed and cut into cubes↗1 kg
• vegetable oil↗4 tablespoons
• onions↗2

  sliced

• garlic cloves↗2

  finely chopped

• Guinness stout↗2 cups
• Worcestershire sauce↗2 tablespoons
• bay leaves↗2
• fresh thyme, chopped↗1 tablespoon
• dark brown sugar↗1 teaspoon
• chestnut mushrooms, halved if large↗1 cup
• PASTRY CRUST↗
• cups plain flour↗2
• teaspoon baking powder↗1⁄2
• salt↗
• teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped↗2
• black pepper, freshly ground↗
• cup suet, shredded↗1⁄2

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 160°C.

2. 2

   Combine the flour, mustard and pepper, then coat the beef in th emixture.

3. 3

   Heat 2 TB of oil in a heavy based frying pan. Fry a third of the beef for 3-4 minutes until browned. Transfer to an oven proof dish and fry the rest of the beef in 2 more batches.

4. 4

   Add a tablespoon of oil to the pan, then fry the onions for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes.

5. 5

   Stir in the Guinness, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, thyme and sugar and simmer for 2-3 minutes.

6. 6

   Pour over the beef, then cover and cook for 2 hours.

7. 7

   Remove the dish and increase the oven temperature to 190°C

8. 8

   Fry the mushrooms in the rest of the oil. Stir into the beef, then transfer to a 15x20cm pie dish.

9. 9

   Sift together the flour, baking powder and half a tspn of salt, then add the thyme, and pepper to taste.

10. 10

    Stir in the suet and bind with 10-12 tablespoons of water to forn a soft dough.

11. 11

    Roll out the dough, dampen the edges of the dish and cover it with the pastry.

12. 12

    Trim, then make a small slit in the centre.

13. 13

    Cook for 30-40 minutes, until golden.