Guinness Steak and Cheese Pie

I've recently received Jamie Oliver's cookbook that goes along with his show, Jamie At Home. It's a wonderful cookbook, and I love how he integrates his vegetable and herb growing methods along with the appropriate recipes. This cookbook has gotten a bit of a workout over the past few weeks.

I've made this lovely recipe for Guinness Steak Pie before, and have experimented using different beers. This latest time, I used a local Texas brew, Shiner Bock, but I've used Guiness, Bass, Newcastle, and others, and I have to say - the Shiner Bock has to be my favorite!



Ingredients

• 2 - 2.5 lb. Beef brisket, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 lb. Store bought puff pastry
• 3 red onions sliced
• Sprig of rosemary
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp butter, and more for greasing the pie plate
• 2 sticks celery - finely sliced
• 2 carrot sticks - peeled and sliced
• 8 oz. field mushrooms (portabella, crimini); as many as you like; sliced\
• 1 pint Guinness or other dark beer
• 1 heaping tbsp flour
• Beef stock
• 7 oz. of shredded white cheddar cheese
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 8 oz. package frozen peas

Preparation

Sauté onions over low heat on the stove top with a good glug of olive oil, salt and pepper until slightly browned in a deep, heavy dutch oven, about 10 minutes.

Stir in a sprig of rosemary, and add in the 3 cloves of minced garlic.

Add 1 tbsp butter, celery, carrots, and mushrooms.

Add the beef wirh a pinch of pepper and salt.

Add 1 pint of Guinness, and stir in 1 heaping tbsp of flour.

Pour in beef stock to top off stew; liquid should barely cover beef

Cook at 350 degrees for 2 hours, pulling the stew out halfway through and stirring

Remove stew filling from the oven and stir in 1 handful of shredded white cheddar cheese

Roll out puff pastry to about 3mm

Grease the entire oven safe bowl or pie pan that is about 4 inches deep and 8-10 inches in diameter with butter

Line the bottom of a the pie pan with the puff pastry.

I like to blind bake my lower puff pastry to ensure a crisper bottom. This is an optional step, but it yields better results.

Pour in the stew filling and sprinkle the other handful of shredded cheddar cheese on top of stew filling.

Brush the outer edge of the puff pastry with the beaten egg (this will act as a glue when you put the top on)

Cover with another piece of puff pastry that has been lightly scored with a knife.

Press around the edges so the top puff pastry is sealed to the bottom puff pastry.

Fold in excess puff pastry that is draping over the bowl so it looks a little organic and wrinkled.

Brush the top of the pastry with beaten egg.

Put pie in the oven at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until bubbly and golden.

Towards the end of the cook time for the pie, cook a package of frozen peas according to package directions, once pie is finished cooking, pull out of the oven; spoon peas over top of each pie serving. As you can see from my pictures, I added the peas to the stew right before I put the stew in the oven. Either way works!