Ingredients

• 1kg/2lb 4oz beef skirt
• cut into large chunks
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 200ml/7fl oz red wine
• 400ml/14fl oz beef stock
• 1 onion
• finely sliced
• 2 large carrots
• cut into 2.5cm/1in pieces
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
• 2 free-range egg yolks
• beaten
• 400g/14oz all-butter puff pastry
• rolled to 5mm/¼in thick
• 300g/10½oz fine green beans
• 25g/1oz butter
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2.
• Toss the beef and flour together in a bowl with some salt and black pepper.
• Heat a large casserole until hot
• add half of the rapeseed oil and enough of the beef to just cover the bottom of the casserole.
• Fry until browned on each side
• then remove and set aside. Repeat with the remaining oil and beef.
• Return the beef to the pan
• add the wine and cook until the volume of liquid has reduced by half
• then add the stock
• onion
• carrots
• thyme and mustard
• and season well with salt and pepper.
• Cover with a lid and place in the oven for two hours.
• Remove from the oven
• check the seasoning and set aside to cool. Remove the thyme.
• When the beef is cool and you're ready to assemble the pie
• preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
• Transfer the beef to a pie dish
• brush the rim with the beaten egg yolks and lay the pastry over the top. Brush the top of the pastry with more beaten egg.
• Trim the pastry so there is just enough excess to crimp the edges
• then place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes
• or until the pastry is golden-brown and cooked through.
• For the green beans
• bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil
• add the beans and cook for 4-5 minutes
• or until just tender.
• Drain and toss with the butter
• then season with black pepper.
• To serve
• place a large spoonful of pie onto each plate with some green beans alongside.