Steak and Kidney Pie

Serves: to serve 4

Prep Time: 30 Minutes + waiting

Cook Time: 3 Hours 30 Minutes

Ready In: 4 hrs
+ waiting

2 oz - plain flour (all purpose flour)

- sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

1½ lb - Stewing Steak or Braising Steak (Chuck Steak)

2 tablespoons - butter

- olive oil

1 large - onion

2 teaspoons - tomato purée (tomato paste)

1 pint - beef stock

1 - bay leaf

2 teaspoons - thyme leaves

1 teaspoon - Worcestershire Sauce

4 oz - chestnut mushrooms

12 oz - veal (or lamb) kidney

FOR THE PASTRY

6 oz - butter

8 oz - plain flour (all purpose flour)

¼ teaspoon - salt

8 - 10 tablespoons - water

1 - egg (for the glaze)

Mix the flour with a generous pinch of sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper. Trim any excess fat off the meat and cut into pieces about 1"-1¼" (2.5cm-3cm) across. Toss the meat in the seasoned flour, then place in a large sieve (strainer) and shake off any excess flour.
Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan. Quickly fry half the steak chunks over a medium-to-high heat until browned all over. Set aside and repeat with the remaining meat, adding more oil and butter as necessary, until all the steak has been browned.
Peel and chop the onion. Add a little more oil to the pan, reduce the heat, and fry the onion until softened and lightly golden. Add the tomato purée and stir for a couple more minutes. Pour in the stock and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to deglaze. Return the browned meat to the pan and add the bay leaf, thyme and Worcestershire sauce.
Cover the pan with a lid and simmer gently for 2½-3 hours until the beef is fork tender. Trim the white core out of the kidney and chop the meat into large pieces - about 1" (2.5cm) across. Stir in the mushrooms and kidney, then turn off the heat. Remove the bay leaf and transfer the mixture to a 2½ - 2¾ pint (1.5 - 1.7 litre) pie dish.
When cooled, place the dish in the fridge overnight. The next day take the dish from the fridge and use a spoon to remove any fat that has come to the surface.
To make the pastry, place the butter in the freezer for 45 minutes. In a bowl, mix the flour with the salt. Dip the butter in the flour and grate (shred) coarsely into the bowl. Keep dipping it in the flour as you grate. Mix in the butter with a knife (or your hands) until evenly coated with flour. Stir in the water to form a dough and knead this into a ball. Wrap in cling film and chill for one hour in the fridge.
Preheat the oven to Mk 6 - 200ºF - 400ºC. While it is heating, roll out the pastry on a lightly floured work surface to about ¼" (5mm) thick and cut out a shape 2" (5cm) wider than the pie dish. Using the pastry trimmings, cut out 1" (2.5cm) wide strips for the edges of the dish. Brush the lip of the dish with water and press the strips of pastry on to it.
Brush the strips with water and place the pastry crust over the top. Press down the edges to seal, then trim off any excess pastry on the sides. Use the blade of a knife to cut a few 1" (2.5cm) long slits in the centre of the pie to allow steam to escape. Beat the egg and brush the pastry with it. Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown and crisp.
Traditionally, Steak and Kidney Pie is served with peas and Mashed Potatoes. However, I've found that a nice alternative to peas is Leek and Bacon Platter