Recipe for Kevin’s Oyster Pie
Serves 4.
12 oysters, shells removed, juices strained and reserved
2 tbsp plain flour salt, freshly ground black pepper
700g/1½lb rib beef, cubed
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1-2 onions, finely chopped
225g/8oz mushrooms, chopped
425ml/15fl.oz Guinness
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
200g/7oz ready made puff pastry
Accompaniment: Green salad or baked potatoes
Season the flour with salt and pepper. Toss the beef in the flour.
Heat the oil in a large, heavy frying pan. Once the oil is hot, add the beef to the pan a little at a time and seal. (Be careful not to overcrowd the pan as this will only create a stewing process.) Remove the beef from the pan.
Fry the onions and mushrooms until soft and then return the meat to the pan. Add the Guinness, Worcestershire sauce and oyster juices and season with salt and pepper. Mix well, cover and simmer until the meat is tender (about 1½ hours). Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely. Add the oysters. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6.
Grease a deep pie dish. Pour the mixture into the pie dish. Cover with the pastry, leaving a slight overhang around the edge of the dish. Crimp the edges firmly and cut an air vent in the centre of the pastry. Bake in the centre of the oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 18C/350F/gas mark 4 and bake for a further 30 minutes until the meat is heated through.
Serve hot with a green salad or baked potatoes. Note: You could also make four individual pies rather than one large one.
