Theses days, everyone is busy trying not to intake of too much calories, saturated fats, carbohydrates, and any other number of things that someone tells them is not good for them, or their health.

This is all good stuff, because it is wise to take care of your health, and everything that effects it. However, a little of what does you good, is wonderful some times, as long as it is in moderation of course. Whereas I would never suggest for a moment that we eat without any considerations, we need to enjoy some of the foods that have been around for centuries, and not feel guilty about it.

This recipe for Traditional Scottish Steak Pie, is a recipe I have loved since I was a boy. My mother would make it regularly. However, although a regular at many Scottish dinner tables, it is best known in Scotland, as the meal with which we say goodbye to the old year, (Hogmanny) and hello to the next, (Nèr`day)

I remember with fondness as a child when the clock struck midnight, the aroma of this pie wafting from my mother`s kitchen as it cooked in the oven, in perfectly timed symmetry to be ready to eat at just after midnight.

Of course I cook it myself often now, as an expat living abroad , I cook it for guests who want an authentic piece of Scotland when they come to my home, and they all love it.

So I have decided to let this recipe of my mother`s become a favorite of others as well as my own, and share it with you.

The secret to this recipe is to marinate the beef in Guinness or any dark ale, overnight, or at least for 4 hours, not only does it help the rick full bodied flavor of the meat to be enhanced, but the effect on the taste of the gravy, is magnificent. Although Guinness is widely available, you can substitute it with a full bodied red wine.

So here is what you will need:

What you will need for a large Pie or 6 individual Pies, for guests

1 pork sausage per person (optional)

2 -3 Lbs of Rump Steak (or for individual pies, 1 medium steak per person)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion

2 cups of Guinness dark ale

1 pint of beef stock

2 egg yolks

500g of frozen puff pastry (is just as good, and not as difficult as it is to make)

1 dessert spoon of Tom puree paste

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin

1/3 cup of Worcestershire sauce

1 cup flour

Directions

Cut the steak in to 1 inch cubes and add them to the Guinness and Worcestershire sauce in a lidded container. Refrigerate to marinate overnight (3 to 4 hours minimum)

Pre Heat your oven to 130 degrees

Cut the onion finely, and add a little oil to the dutch oven, sweating the onions in a little salt till translucent. remove to the a dish

Season the flour well with salt and pepper

Brown the steak cubes in batches, remove it to a dish

When finished, add the Guinness marinade to the pot to deglaze the bottom of the dutch oven, making sure you get all the meat sediments into the marinade,

add the ground cumin and cinnamon and simmer for a few minutes

Add the beef stock, tomato puree and onions and bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer, till it is reduced to almost half. Don`t worry if you reduce it too much or not enough, you can remedy this later.

Return the steak to the dutch oven, cover and put into the oven for 1 hour,

remove and add the sausages, each cut into 3, stir and return to the oven for a further 1 hour or until the meat is tender.

Remove and allow to cool thoroughly to thicken (this intensifies the flavors)

Heat oven to 220 C

Reheat meat mixture a large pie dish, or 6 small dishes for 25 minutes

(thinning or thickening if required, using a little water or stock, or a mixture of arrowroot or cornflour)

Roll chilled pastry out to size of Pie dishes, at least 1/8 inch thick and place on pie(s) using a very sharp knife for a clean edge

Place pastry lids on pie mixture being careful not to push down to much on the edges as this will reduce how much it will rise, then brush with egg yolks (this will give you a glazed brown crust)

Return to oven for another 25 minutes till pastry risen and golden brown

Traditionally it is served with both boiled and mashed potatoes

Turnips or swedes, boiled and mashed with butter and lots of freshly ground black pepper

and any other vegetable of your choice.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as it is intended, a little piece of Scottish heritage being shared with the world

Bernard