Gordon Ramsay's Great British Pub Food (9 page)

900g braising beef steak

3 tbsp plain flour

sea salt and black pepper 2-3 tbsp olive oil 2 onions, peeled and chopped

1 garlic clove, peeled and finely crushed

4 smoked bacon rashers, derinded and chopped

600ml red wine

2 carrots, peeled

2 parsnips, peeled

2 leeks, trimmed

2 celery sticks, trimmed

600ml beef stock (see page 244)

2 bay leaves

few thyme sprigs

250g self-raising flour, plus extra for kneading

½ tsp fine sea salt

50g butter, diced

150g medium cheddar, grated

about 150ml whole milk, plus extra to glaze

Preheat the oven to 150°C/Gas 2. Cut the beef steak into bite-sized chunks and mix the flour with a little salt and pepper. Lightly coat the meat with the seasoned flour, saving any excess. Place a flameproof casserole dish over a medium heat and add a little olive oil. When hot, brown the meat in batches, for 2-3 minutes on each side. Transfer the browned beef to a plate and add more oil as needed between batches.

Add a little more oil to the casserole and fry the onions, garlic and bacon over a high heat for 6-8 minutes until golden brown. Tip in any remaining seasoned flour and stir well. Pour in the wine and let it boil until reduced by a third. In the meantime, cut the carrots and parsnips into large chunks, and cut the leeks and celery into 4cm slices. Add these to the casserole and pour in the stock. Return the beef and add the herbs with some salt and pepper.

Bring to a low simmer, then put the lid on and transfer the casserole to the oven. Cook for about 2-2¼ hours until the meat is tender, stirring halfway through cooking. Skim off any fat from the surface of the liquor. If the sauce is a little too thin, strain the liquor into a pan and boil until reduced and thickened. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then pour the liquor back over the meat and vegetables. Keep warm.

Increase the oven setting to 200°C/ Gas 6. To make the scone topping, sift the flour and salt together into a large bowl. Rub in the butter with your fingers until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, then stir through all but 2 tbsp of the cheese. Make a well in the centre, pour in most of the milk and mix lightly to a dough, adding more milk to mix if necessary. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently until just smooth. Press the dough out to a 1.5-2cm thickness and stamp out rounds, using a 6-7cm pastry cutter.

Brush the dough rounds lightly with milk and arrange on top of the stew, leaving a little space in between to allow for expansion. Sprinkle them with the reserved cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, or until well risen and golden brown. Leave to stand for 5 minutes before serving.

2 tbsp olive oil

900g lean minced beef

sea salt and black pepper

3 medium onions, peeled and finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

few thyme sprigs, leaves only

2 plum tomatoes, chopped

2 tbsp tomato purée

330ml bottle Guinness

5 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

300ml chicken stock (see page 243)

1kg floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper or King Edward, peeled and roughly cubed

50g butter

2 tbsp finely grated parmesan or cheddar, plus extra for grating

1 large egg yolk

A deeply savoury cottage pie makes a comforting mid-week supper, particularly when it’s cold and dreary outside. You might like to add some diced carrots to the pie base for extra colour, or serve some glazed baby carrots on the side.

Place a large frying pan over a high heat and add a thin layer of olive oil. Season the mince with salt and pepper and fry, stirring, in two or three batches, until nicely browned. Once cooked, tip the mince into a sieve or colander to drain off the fat.

Place another large pan over a medium-high heat and add a little olive oil. When hot, fry the onions, with the garlic and thyme, for 8-10 minutes until soft and golden. Add the browned mince, tomatoes and tomato purée. Stir constantly for 4-5 minutes.

Add the Guinness and Worcestershire sauce and boil until the liquid has reduced by half. Pour in the stock and return to the boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for 20-25 minutes, by which time the mixture should be thick and glossy. Continue to simmer for another 5-10 minutes if it doesn’t seem quite thick enough. Remove from the heat.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4. Meanwhile, add the potatoes to a pan of salted water, bring to the boil and cook until tender. Drain and return to the hot pan for 15 seconds or so, to dry out, then take off the heat. Pass the potatoes through a potato ricer back into the pan or mash smoothly. Mix through the butter, cheese and egg yolk. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Spoon the mince mixture into the bottom of a 2 litre pie dish. Spoon the mashed potato on top and rough up the surface with a fork. Grate over some extra cheese and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes until bubbling and golden brown.

300g shortcrust pastry (see page 248)

2 medium Bramley apples

450g piece of unsmoked back bacon, derinded

1 large onion, peeled and roughly chopped

handful of flat-leaf parsley, leaves only, chopped

pinch of caster sugar (optional)

sea salt and black pepper

2 tbsp plain flour

300ml medium dry cider

1 egg yolk, beaten, to glaze

This tasty, satisfying pie was invented a long time ago – most probably to keep the workers sustained during busy apple harvests. The simple filling consists of bacon, onion, apples and cider, with a handful of parsley thrown in for good measure. It takes little effort to make.

Preheat the oven to 190°C/Gas 5. Peel, core and roughly chop the apples into bite-sized chunks, then place in a large bowl. Cut the bacon into 3cm squares and add to the apples with the onion and parsley. Toss to mix, adding a pinch of sugar if the apples are very tart, and seasoning well with salt and pepper. Transfer the filling to a 20cm round pie dish.

In a bowl, blend the flour with a little of the cider to make a paste, then gradually stir in the rest of the cider, keeping the mixture smooth. Pour over the filling in the pie dish; there should be enough to almost cover it.

Roll out the pastry to a large round, the thickness of a £1 coin, and cut out a circle for the pie lid, slightly larger all round than the dish. Cut 2cm wide strips from the pastry trimmings to go around the rim of the pie dish.

Brush the edge of the pie dish with water and position the pastry strips on the rim, joining them to fit as necessary. Press down lightly all the way round. Brush the strip with water, then lift the pastry lid on top of the pie and press the edges together to seal. Crimp the edges.

With a sharp knife, cut a cross in the centre of the pastry lid, then fold the points back a little to reveal the filling. Brush the pastry with beaten egg yolk. Put the pie on a baking tray and bake for about 50–60 minutes until the pastry is golden and the filling is cooked.

1 organic or free-range chicken, about 1.3–1.4kg, jointed

sea salt and black pepper

4 leeks, trimmed and finely sliced

1 bouquet garni (bay leaf, few thyme and parsley sprigs, tied together)

1 litre chicken stock (see page 243)

30g butter 200g chestnut mushrooms, trimmed and roughly sliced

200g smoked back bacon, derinded and chopped

2 tbsp plain flour

150ml double cream

small handful of flat-leaf parsley, leaves only, chopped

400g good-quality ready-made puff pastry

1 large egg yolk, beaten with 1 tbsp water, to glaze

You can’t beat a good chicken pie for that comforting, feel-good factor. Our version includes bacon, which adds a delicious smoky element to the creamy sauce.

Season the chicken pieces and place in a pan with the leeks, bouquet garni and stock; top up with water to cover if necessary. Bring to a simmer and skim, then partially cover the pan and simmer gently for 1 hour or until the chicken is tender. Lift out and leave to cool slightly. Transfer the leeks to a large bowl, using a slotted spoon. Boil the stock vigorously until reduced by half, to about 400ml. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces, discarding the skin and bones. Add to the leeks.

Heat a wide pan, add the butter and fry the mushrooms with a little seasoning until golden brown. Add the bacon and fry for a few more minutes until browned. Add the flour and stir over the heat for a few minutes. Pour in the reduced stock, then the cream, and simmer until reduced to a thick coating consistency. Take off the heat and mix in the chicken and leeks. Season well, stir in the parsley and let cool.

Preheat the oven to 2θθ°C/Gas 6. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of a £1 coin. Using a large 1.75 litre pie dish as a template, cut out a pastry lid, slightly larger all round than your dish. Cut 2cm wide strips from the trimmings. Position a pie funnel, if using, in the centre of the dish and spoon in the filling. Brush the edge of the dish with water and lay the pastry strips on the rim, joining to fit as necessary; press down lightly. Brush the pastry rim with egg glaze.

Lift the pastry lid on top of the pie and cut a small steam hole in the middle. Press the pastry edges together to seal, trim off the excess and knock up the edges. If you like, decorate the pie with pastry leaves cut from the trimmings. Brush with a little more egg glaze. Bake for 40–5θ minutes until the pastry is golden brown.

900g shortcrust pastry (see page 248, make a triple quantity)

400g waxy potatoes, such as Charlotte or Desirée

½ swede, about 400g

1 large sweet onion

400g rump or sirloin of beef

sea salt

2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

1 tbsp olive oil

20g butter, diced

1 medium egg, lightly beaten

Cornish pasties are sold all over the country these days, though few ready-made versions taste like the real thing. It’s well worth making them yourself, as they are delicious eaten warm from the oven. Seasoning the filling liberally with pepper is essential for an authentic flavour.

Peel the potatoes, swede and onion and cut into 1cm dice. Cut the beef into similar-sized pieces and season with a generous pinch each of salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil and half the butter in a wide frying pan over a medium-high heat. When hot, sear the beef in batches for 1–2 minutes, turning to brown all over. Transfer to a plate.

Add the remaining butter to the pan and fry the diced vegetables for 5–7 minutes until they start to soften and take on a little colour. Tip any juices from the resting beef into the pan and cook until absorbed and the vegetables are tender. Add to the beef and leave to cool.

Preheat the oven to 22θ°C/Gas 7. Divide the pastry into four portions. Roll out each one on a lightly floured surface to a large circle, 3–4mm thick, and trim to a neat round, 25cm in diameter, using a dinner plate as a guide. Divide the filling evenly between the rounds, sprinkling each portion with a little more salt and a generous pinch of pepper.

Brush the pastry edges with a little beaten egg, then fold one half over the meat to create a semi-circle. With your fingers, pinch and turn the edges to seal each pasty and stop the filling leaking during baking.

Transfer the pasties to a large baking sheet (preferably non-stick) and brush the tops with beaten egg. Bake for 10 minutes, then lower the oven setting to 180°C/Gas 4 and cook for a further 20–25 minutes. If the pastry appears to be over-browning, cover with greaseproof paper. Allow to cool slightly. The pasties are best eaten warm, though they can also be served at room temperature.

800g beef chuck or braising steak

175g veal kidney

25g plain flour

sea salt and black pepper

50g butter, diced

250g chestnut mushrooms, quartered

2 large onions, peeled and chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

330ml bottle Guinness or brown ale

300ml veal or beef stock (see page 244)

2 bay leaves

few thyme sprigs, plus extra leaves to finish

1 tbsp tomato purée

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1–2 tbsp HP brown sauce, to taste

bunch of flat-leaf parsley, leaves only, chopped

500g good-quality ready-made puff pastry

2 medium egg yolks, beaten with 1 tbsp water, to glaze

This is traditional British pub grub at its finest. If you’re not keen on kidney, simply replace with extra steak.

Cut the beef into 2.5cm pieces. Halve the kidney and carefully remove the sinewy core, then cut into small pieces. Season the flour with salt and pepper. Toss the steak in the flour to coat, then do the same with the kidney pieces, keeping them separate.

Heat a wide, heavy-based pan, then add a few knobs of butter and fry the mushrooms with a little seasoning for 2–3 minutes until lightly browned. Add the onions and garlic and cook until the onion begins to soften. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl and set aside.

Add a few more knobs of butter to the pan and fry the kidney for 1 minute on each side, turning until evenly browned; remove and set aside. Add little more butter to the pan and brown the steak pieces in batches; they should take about 5–6 minutes to brown all over. Return all the browned steak, kidney and vegetables to the pan and pour in the Guinness. Let it simmer until reduced by one-third.

Add the stock, bay leaves, thyme, tomato purée and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a bare simmer, partially cover and cook very gently for 11/2–2 hours until the meat is tender, giving an occasional stir.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat, kidney and vegetables to a large bowl. Discard the thyme and bay leaves. Boil the liquor steadily until it has reduced to a thick coating consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper and HP sauce. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables, stir in the chopped parsley and leave to cool.