Steak and kidney pie

Steak and kidney shortcrust pie. Photograph: Harry Weir
Steak and kidney shortcrust pie. Photograph: Harry Weir
Serves: 4
Course: Dinner
Cooking Time: 2 hrs
Prep Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

  • 700g (approx) stewing beef (shortrib)
  • 100g lamb kidneys, diced
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 250g small button mushrooms
  • 2 rosemary sprigs, plus some for garnish
  • 3-4 thyme sprigs, plus some for garnish
  • 250ml red wine
  • 500ml beef stock
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 50g flour
  • 50g butter
  • Butter, for lining the dish
  • 1 block shortcrust pastry/or pre-rolled shortcrust pastry
  • Flour for dusting
  • 1 egg yolk
  1. Preheat the oven to 150 degrees. Start by making the bourguignon filling. Cut the beef short-rib meat into small chunks. Heat a casserole pot and add the oil. Add the beef and cook for three minutes until browned, then remove from the casserole pot and place on a plate.
  2. Put the pot back on the heat and add the onion, carrots, garlic and button mushrooms. Cook for three minutes until browning, then add the beef back into the pot along with the butter and the flour and stir well. Cook for two minutes, then add the red wine, beef stock, tomato paste, thyme leaves, rosemary sprigs and stir well, scraping up any bits from the base of the pot. Season with salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Then place a lid on the casserole dish and place in the oven. Cook for three hours at 150 degrees. Then remove from the oven and allow to cool.
  3. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Line a pie dish (about 20cm wide and 6cm deep) with some butter. Roll out the shortcrust pastry to 2-3mm thickness. Cut a piece that is a few inches bigger than the dish. Line the dish with it, gently pressing into the corners and allowing a little overhang. Place into the fridge for 10 minutes to set the shape.
  4. Remove from the fridge and fill the pastry with the cooled beef mix. Brush the edges of the pastry with some egg yolk. Roll out the remaining pastry and place on top, pressing the pastry together to seal the pie. Trim any excess pastry neatly with a blunt knife. You can use any offcuts of pastry to garnish the top of the pie, then brush the top of the pastry gently with the egg yolk. Bake in the oven at 180 degrees for 40-45 minutes until dark golden brown.
  5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly for five minutes before popping out of the pie dish and serving.