Beef and Portobello Mushroom Pie

Preparation: 15 minutes | Cooking: 2 hours 45 minutes | Serves: 6

This beef and mushroom pie tastes great straight out of the oven or saved for lunch the next day.

Ingredients

• 800 g oyster blade steak, trimmed and diced
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 200 g portobello mushrooms, sliced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 cup beef stock
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 200 g butter puff pastry
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• To serve, mashed potato and steamed greens

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170ºC. Place a heavy based casserole over a moderately high heat. Toss the beef in the flour, coat well and shake to remove any excess. Fry the beef in the oil in 2 batches, for 6-8 minutes or until well coloured.
2. Turn the heat down to medium and place all of the meat back into the casserole. Add the onion, mushrooms and bay leaf and stir with the meat for 2 minutes or until the vegetables are lightly coloured. Add the wine and stock and bring up to the boil.
3. Cover and place in the oven for 2 hours or until the meat is very tender. If you want the sauce a little thicker you can place it over a high heat to reduce slightly. Add the vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large pie dish and allow to cool thoroughly. You can refrigerate for up to 2 days.
4. Preheat the oven to 220ºC. Roll the pastry into a piece a little larger than the pie dish. Place over the cooled meat mixture and gently tuck in the sides. Brush with the beaten egg and cute a few slits in the pastry to allow the steam to escape.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
6. Serve with mashed potato and steamed greens.