Beef and Oyster Pie by Whitehorse Oyster and Seafood Bar

FOR more information visit www.whitehorseoysterbar.co.uk

Ingredients: Serves one

Filling:
250g trimmed flank or shin of beef
1 tbsp plain flour
7g butter
½ white onion, finely chopped 
½ clove garlic, crushed 
½ tsp tomato puree
50ml oyster stout 
400ml beef stock, heated
Pinch of thyme leaves, chopped
½ bay leaf 
Cornflour (if required) 
5 oysters (4 shucked, 1 left in shell)
Vegetable oil 
Salt and pepper

Pastry:
60g self-raising flour
Pinch of salt 
1 egg, beaten
20g beef suet, shredded
15g butter, chilled & coarsely grated 
Water

Parsley Crust:
Knob of butter
½ tablespoon fresh white breadcrumbs 
Pinch of parsley 
Salt and pepper

Method
1 Cut the meat into 3cm cubes. Season half of the flour with salt and pepper and use to lightly flour the meat. Heat a little oil in a frying pan and fry the meat in batches over a high heat until nicely browned. Set aside to rest.
2 Melt the butter in a pan and fry the onion and garlic until lightly coloured. Add the remaining flour and tomato purée. Stir over a low heat for a minute or so, then add the stout and beef stock, stirring to avoid lumps forming.
3 Add the beef, thyme and bay leaf. Bring back to a simmer, cover and simmer very gently for roughly two hours until the meat is tender. When the meat is cooked, the sauce should have a thick consistency. If not, mix a little cornflour to a paste with 1tbsp. water, stir into the sauce and simmer, stirring, for a few minutes. Leave to cool.
4 To make the pastry, mix the flour, salt, suet and butter together in a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Mix in enough water (about 40ml) to form a smooth dough and knead for a minute.
5 Combine the four shucked oysters and cooled filling, then spoon into a pie dish. Roll the pastry out on a floured surface to a 7–8 mm thickness. Cut the pastry to make pie lid, about 2cm larger all round than the pie dish. Brush the edges of the pastry with a little of the beaten egg.
6. Lay the pastry over the filling, pressing the egg-washed sides on to the rim of the dish. Cut a small hole in the lid and rest in a cool place for 30 minutes.
7 Preheat the oven to 200°C. Brush the pie with beaten egg and bake for 30–35 minutes until the pastry is golden. 
8 Meanwhile, for the parsley crust, melt the butter in a pan, mix in the breadcrumbs and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
9 Scatter the parsley crust over the oyster in the half-shell and grill until golden. Place on top of the pie.

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