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in article , Alex at
wrote on 1/4/04 5:16 AM:

> Peter Morris wrote:
>
>> On Sat, 03 Jan 2004 10:12:10 -0600, WiScottsin wrote:
>> how about newcastle brown ale... similar taste to guinness but lighter.
>>

I like Newcastle a lot!
And i cant' stand Guinness, so it is definitely lighter than that. It's
about as dark a beer as i will go. I find it pleasantly bitter and very
refreshing.

>
> Newcastle was what i ended up in the end using and it turned out mighty
> fine.
>
> Ingredients
>
> 900g/2lb braising steak, such as blade or chuck, cut into 5cm (2in) chunks
> 25g/1 oz plain flour
> 5 tbsp sunflower oil
> 25g/1oz unsalted butter
> 225g/8 oz chestnut mushrooms, quartered
> 2 onions, thinly sliced
> ½ tsp sugar
> 300ml/10fl oz Newcastle Brown Ale
> 300ml/10fl oz beef broth
> thyme, 3 sprigs
> 2 bay leaves
> 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
> 500g/1lb 2oz fresh puff pastry
> 1 small egg, beaten, for brushing
> salt and freshly ground black pepper
>
> Method
>
> 1. Season the pieces of steak with salt and pepper, then toss with the
> flour and shake off but reserve the excess. Heat 3 tbsp of the oil in a
> flameproof casserole or large saucepan and brown the meat in 2 batches
> until well coloured on all sides. Transfer to a plate.
> 2. Add another tbsp of the oil, half the butter and the mushrooms to the
> pan and fry briefly. Set aside with the beef. Add the rest of the oil
> and butter, the onions and sugar to the pan and fry over a medium-high
> heat for 20 minutes, until the onions are nicely browned. Stir in the
> reserved flour, then gradually add the Newcastle Brown Ale and stock and
> bring to the boil, stirring.
> 3. Return the beef and mushrooms to the pan with the thyme, bay leaves,
> Worcestershire sauce, ¾ tsp of salt and some pepper, then cover and
> simmer for 1½ hours, until the meat is just tender.
> 4. Lift the meat, mushrooms and onions out of the liquid with a slotted
> spoon and put into a deep 1.2 litre (2 pint) pie dish. Bring the liquid
> to the boil and boil rapidly until reduced to 600 ml (1 pint). Remove
> and discard the bay leaves and thyme twigs, adjust the seasoning if
> necessary and pour into the pie dish. Stir everything together well and
> leave to cool completely.
> 5. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Push a pie funnel into the
> centre of the mixture.
> 6. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface until it is 2.5cm
> (1in) larger than the top of the pie dish. Cut off a thin strip from
> around the edge, brush it with a little beaten egg and press it on to
> the rim of the dish. Brush it with more egg, cut a small cross into the
> centre of the larger piece of pastry and lay it over the dish so that
> the funnel pokes through the cross. Press the edges together well to
> seal. Trim away the excess overhanging pastry and crimp the edges
> between your fingers to give it an attractive finish. Chill for 10
> minutes to relax the pastry.
> 7. Brush the top of the pie with beaten egg and bake for 30 to 35
> minutes, until the pastry is crisp and golden and the filling is
> bubbling hot.
>