Steak Pie

So it's summer in Scotland and that means that the weather is varied at best, meaning that half the time you want light summery food and the rest of the time you crave warming winter food like pie. The trouble with pie is the time to make the filling, especially if you have people coming over. It's almost impossible to host and cook at the same time, and you don't really want your guests seeing you all flustered.

So here's my solution: slow cooked filling made a day ahead, the perfect use for those unpredictable afternoons.

Slow Cooker Pie filling


500g stewing steak, in chunks
plain flour
salt and pepper
Oil

2 onions, roughly chopped
3 carrots, sliced
2 cloves garlic
a handful of chestnut mushrooms, quartered
a couple of dried porcini mushrooms
1 tsp dried thyme

2 beef stock cubes
600ml boiling water
1 bottle dark ale
1 tbsp tomato puree

Start by spreading flour over a plate and season very well. Toss the meat in the flour and set aside. Heat 1tbsp of oil in a heavy bottomed frying pan until hot, then brown the meat in batches. Once browned remove the meat from the pan and place in slowcooker. You may need to add more oil as you go along to ensure the meat doesn't stick.

Make up the stock and add the dried mushrooms to soak. Put the pan back on the heat and add more oil, then fry the onions until softening. Add the onions to the slow cooker then quickly soften the carrots and garlic (NB you want the garlic whole here so it can be picked out later). Add the thyme, tomato puree and ale. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes, ensuring you mix in anything stuck to the bottom of the pan.

Add the stock and the contents of the pan to the slow cooker and then add the mushrooms. Give everything a stir, then cover and cook on high for 4 hours.


Pie


1 portion filling
1 portion puff pastry
a little milk for brushing

Place the filling in a suitable pie dish and top with the pastry. Use any extra pastry to form decorations, then cut a small cross in the centre and brush with milk.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180C for around 30 minutes, by the point the filling should be warmed and the pastry risen and golden.