INGREDIENTS:
800g beef chuck, trimmed of fat, 2.5cm diced
1 tsp sunflower oil
1 tbsp Szechuan peppercorns (or black peppercorns)
2 onions, cut into wedges
2 carrots, chopped on the diagonal
2 cups parsnip, peeled & diced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 long red chilli, finely chopped
1 tbsp salt-reduced soy sauce
1 tbsp toasted sesame paste (or tahini)
500ml salt-reduced beef stock
2 heaped tsp corn flour
2 spring onions, sliced
SWEET POTATO TOPPING:
500g sweet potato
1 tsp finely grated ginger
4 steamed choy sum (or similar Asian green), to serve
SERVES: 4
PREPARATION: 20 MINUTES
COOKING: 1 HOUR 40 MINUTES
PROCESS:
1. Drizzle beef with sunflower oil in a bowl and toss to coat. Toast Szechuan peppercorns in a small frying pan until fragrant, be careful not to burn. Grind to a fine powder using a mortar and pestle.
2. Place a large cast iron casserole dish over medium-high heat. Brown beef in 2-3 batches, add ground peppercorns, onions, carrots, parsnip, garlic, chilli, soy, sesame paste and stock and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 1 hour 15 minutes or until beef is tender.
3. Mix a few tablespoons of the cooking liquid with the corn flour until it is a smooth paste and stir into the mixture. Cook for 5-10 minutes until the mixture thickens. Add spring onions.
4. Meanwhile steam sweet potato and mash with ginger. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Divide pie filling between 4 x1 cup-capacity ramekins and top with sweet potato topping.
5. Bake pies for 15 minutes or until the sweet potato begins to brown and serve with steamed choy sum.
TIPS:
1. Save time and use lean beef mince instead of chuck. Reduce the cooking time to 30 minutes and only use half the stock.
2. Szechuan peppercorns are available from Asian grocers or in the Asian section of the supermarket. If you don't have a mortar and pestle, you can place peppercorns in a zip lock bag and whack them with a rolling pin.
3. If you don't have toasted sesame paste or tahini, substitute with 1 teaspoon sesame oil mixed with 1 teaspoon peanut butter.
4. Make one large pie by using a 4-cup capacity baking dish or 8-9 inch pie plate.
SWITCH TO MAKE:
Chilli and stout beef pies with mushy peas: Leave out the Szechuan peppercorns, soy sauce, sesame paste and spring onions. Use stout instead of stock and serve with mushy peas.
ABN: 63 164 959 880
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