Head chef at Faithlegg House Hotel, Jenny Flynn, joined Maria McCann on The Saturday Café for the February episode of Food at Faithlegg. Jenny gave us a recipe for Guinness braised short rib pie with smoked Knockanore cheddar pastry. It’s nearly Spring, but in February I find myself still reaching for warming comfort.  This recipe is a stew with an intense depth of flavour, the addition of the smoked cheese to the pastry gives it a seasonal lift. Serves:4–6 Time: 3 hrs (mostly braising) Ingredients: For the filling:
  • 1kg beef short rib (or shin), cut into chunks
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 2 celery sticks, diced
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 300ml Guinness stout
  • 400ml beef stock
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 thyme sprigs
  • Salt + pepper + oil
For the Short pastry topping:
  • 300g plain flour
  • 150g cold butter, cubed
  • 120g grated smoked knockanore cheddar
  • 1 egg + splash milk (egg wash)
  • Salt pinch
Method:
  1. Brown the beef: Season + sear in oil until deeply coloured. Remove from the pot.
  2. Add veg to the pot and cook for 6–8 min.
  3. Add flour, then tomato paste, Guinness, and stock.
  4. Return beef, add herbs. Put the Lid on, cook at 150°C for 2.5 hours.
  5. To make the pastry: Rub butter into flour, add cheddar + a little cold water to form dough. Chill 1 hour.
  6. To assemble: Remove herbs, shred meat slightly, transfer filling to pie dish, top with rolled pastry and glaze with egg wash.
  7. Bake: 200°C for 25–30 min until golden. Rest 10 min.
To serve, straight to the table and serve with buttery mash with a teaspoon of wholegrain mustard or horseradish. (Like all stews its nearly nicer the next day) Enjoy! - Jenny