Name: Slow-cooked beef and cheesy potato-topped pies
Cook time: 200 min
Total time: 200 min
Ingredients: 1 large onion, roughly chopped; 2 sticks celery, chopped; 2 carrots, peeled, thickly sliced then chopped; 2 tablespoon olive oil; 6 brown button mushrooms, wiped clean and halved; 1 large bouquet garni of 3 bayleaves, sprigs of thyme, parsley stalks and a sprig of rosemary; 1/2 cup full-bodied red wine; 1 tablespoon tomato concentrate; 1 cup jellied beef stock; 1 kilogram cross-cut blade steak; 4 tablespoon plain flour; salt and freshly ground black pepper; 500 gram savoury shortcrust pastry, thawed if frozen; 1.2 kilogram mashing potatoes such as agria, peeled and cubed; 1 bunch spring onion, trimmed, white part only chopped; 3 tablespoon butter; 1/4 cup hot milk; 1 cup grated vintage cheddar; 4 tablespoon finely grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Ingredients

1 large onion, roughly chopped

2 sticks celery, chopped

2 carrots, peeled, thickly sliced then chopped

2 tablespoon olive oil

6 brown button mushrooms, wiped clean and halved

1 large bouquet garni of 3 bayleaves, sprigs of thyme, parsley stalks and a sprig of rosemary

1/2 cup full-bodied red wine

1 tablespoon tomato concentrate

1 cup jellied beef stock

1 kilogram cross-cut blade steak

4 tablespoon plain flour

salt and freshly ground black pepper

500 gram savoury shortcrust pastry, thawed if frozen

1.2 kilogram mashing potatoes such as agria, peeled and cubed

1 bunch spring onion, trimmed, white part only chopped

3 tablespoon butter

1/4 cup hot milk

1 cup grated vintage cheddar

4 tablespoon finely grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Method

1.Preheat a slow cooker on high. Put onion, celery and carrots in a medium frying pan with the oil and cook gently for about 10 minutes until tender. Transfer to slow cooker bowl (or a large ovenproof casserole; cook filling in oven preheated to 150°C for about 2 hours).

2.Add mushrooms to slow cooker and put bouquet garni on top. Mix wine and tomato concentrate and add to slow cooker with jellied stock.

3.Trim beef of excess fat and scrappy bits and cut into large cubes approx. 2-2.5cm. Put flour, 1¾ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste in a plastic bag, shake together and add meat. Shake again until meat is evenly coated with seasoned flour. Add to slow cooker.

4.Cover and cook on high for 2½ hours, stirring twice. Cool quickly – this is best done by immersing the slow cooker bowl in a sink of warm water to cool it down gently, then, once it is cool, fill sink with cold water and leave until meat is cool.

5.Roll out pastry to a rectangle about 39cm x 32cm and cut out 6 rounds or squares and line into pie tins (you may have to patch together the sixth round!). Chill.

6.Cook potatoes in salted, gently boiling water until tender. Cook spring onions in a small covered pan in 1 tablespoon butter for several minutes, until tender and lightly golden.

7.Drain potatoes when ready, return to pan and place pan briefly over heat to evaporate moisture. Mash with remaining butter, adding enough hot milk to make a light, fluffy purée. Season with ¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste, and beat in cheddar cheese, spring onions and all the buttery juices.

8.Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan-forced). Fill pastry cases with meat filling and spoon dollops of potato mash on top. Scatter with parmesan cheese.

9.Put pies in the oven with a baking sheet underneath in case of spillages. Cook for 30 minutes, or until filling is bubbling and topping golden. Leave to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

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