Beef Casserole and Cobblers

Ingredients

For the casserole

• Vegetable oil for frying
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 sticks of celery, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1kg of diced beef (either braising steak or skirt)
• Beef stock
• Half a bottle of red wine
• Bay leaf
• 1 tsp ground mace
• Cornflour to thicken
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the cobblers

• 225g SR flour
• 60g butter
• 125ml milk
• 1tsp mustard powder
• 1 tsp salt

Method

• Preheat the oven to 170C or 160C fan.
• Fry the onions, celery and carrots until soft and transfer to an ovenproof casserole dish. Add the beef, stock, bay leaf, wine and mace, plus salt and pepper to taste. Place in the oven and slow braise for 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, make the cobblers by rubbing the butter into the flour, salt and mustard powder until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the milk to form a soft dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll out to about 3cm thick then cut into discs, reusing the trimmings for extra discs.
• After the casserole has braised for around 2 hours, remove from the oven and thicken using cornflour and water and check the seasoning – add more salt and pepper if it needs it. Raise the oven temperature to 200C or 180C fan and return to the oven for a further 20 minutes.
• Add the cobblers to the top of the casserole and return to the oven for 20 – 30 minutes or until the cobblers are golden brown.

Serve with mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables.