Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion
• chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• finely chopped
• 450g/1lb minced beef steak or beef mince
• 1 tsp English mustard
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 beef stock cube
• vegetable oil
• 150ml/5fl oz brown ale
• 100ml/3½fl oz beef stock
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 350g/12oz self-raising flour
• plus extra for dusting
• 225g/8oz beef suet
• large knob of butter
• softened
• for greasing
• 450g/1lb ready-made shortcrust pastry
• for the top of the pie
• 1 free-range egg yolk
• lightly beaten
• 2 large potatoes (preferably Rooster or Nadine)
• peeled
• cut into chunks
• 100ml/3½fl oz hot milk
• knob of butter
• drizzle chilli oil (optional)
• 50g/2oz butter
• 50g/2oz cornflour
• 500ml/18fl oz chicken stock
• generous bunch parsley
• leaves only
• chopped
• 1-2 garlic cloves
• roasted and puréed
• to taste
• jellied eels

Directions

• For the filling
• heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and fry the onion and garlic for five minutes or until softened. Add the mince and cook for five minutes
• stirring occasionally
• or until browned and cooked through.
• Stir in the rest of the filling ingredients
• season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and set aside to cool.
• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
• For the suet pastry
• sift the flour into a mixing bowl with the suet and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Gradually mix in about four tablespoons of cold water
• or until you have a moist but firm dough.
• On a lightly floured work surface roll the dough out to a 2mm thickness.
• Generously butter two individual pie dishes then line each with the suet pastry
• so that it covers the base and sides completely. Divide the filling mixture between the two dishes.
• For the pie crust
• roll out the shortcrust pastry on a lightly floured work surface to a 2mm thickness and use it to cover the two pies
• pushing down the edges to seal. Brush generously with the egg yolk and make a hole in the middle of the lid to allow steam to escape.
• Place the pie dishes into a deep-sided roasting tin and pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the pie dishes
• taking care not to get any water on the pastry. Transfer to the oven and cook for 20-30 minutes
• or until the pastry is crisp and golden and the filling steaming hot.
• Meanwhile
• for the mashed potatoes
• steam (or boil) the potatoes for 20 minutes or until tender. Scald the milk then mash the potatoes with the hot milk
• butter and plenty of salt and freshly ground black pepper until smooth. Drizzle with a little chilli oil
• if using
• and keep warm.
• For the parsley liquor
• melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat and whisk in the cornflour to make a paste. Gradually stir in the stock
• bring to a simmer
• then stir in the parsley and garlic and stir until thickened and smooth.
• Serve the hot pies with the mash
• parsley liquor and jellied eels on the side.