Steak and Stilton pie with pickled red cabbage
- Prepare
- over 2 hours
- Cook
- over 2 hours
- Serve
- Serves 6–8
- Dietary
- Nut-free
The deliciously rich flavours of steak, red wine and Stilton make this a comfort food classic.
By Matt Tebbutt
From Saturday Kitchen
Ingredients
For the cabbage
- ½ red cabbage, shredded
- 500ml/18fl oz red wine
- 125ml/4fl oz red wine vinegar
- 125ml/4fl oz cabernet sauvignon vinegar
- 50g/1¾oz light brown sugar
- 1 star anise
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- 4 cardamom pods
- ½ tbsp black peppercorns
- ½ tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 3 juniper berries
- head of garlic, cut in half
- thyme sprigs
- 1 bay leaf
- coarse sea salt
For the pie filling
- 50g/1¾oz plain flour
- 1kg/2lb 4oz beef brisket, cut into large chunks
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
- 3 celery sticks, chopped
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 400ml/14fl oz red wine
- 10g/⅓oz fresh thyme
- head of garlic
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 litre/1¾ pint beef stock
- 400g/14oz potatoes, peeled and cut into large cubes
- 180g/6¼oz Stilton, crumbled
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the pastry
- 350g/12oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 175g/6oz lard, cut into small pieces
- 4–6 tbsp ice-cold water
- 1 free-range egg
- pinch salt
- 1 free-range egg yolk, for brushing
Method
To make the cabbage, toss the cabbage in a colander with a generous amount of the sea salt. Leave for a few hours or overnight if possible.
Put all of the other cabbage ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to the boil.
Add the cabbage and cook gently for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile to make the pie filling, season the flour with salt and pepper in a bowl.
Cover the meat in the seasoned flour and place in a deep frying pan or casserole over a medium–high heat with the oil. Brown the meat all over then remove from the pan. Set aside.
Fry the onion, carrot and celery in the pan for 20 minutes.
Add the tomato purée and the meat back to the pan. Pour in the wine and add the thyme, garlic and bay leaves. Cook until reduced by half.
Add the stock to nearly cover and add the potatoes. Simmer for 2–3 hours, or until soft.
Taste and cook further to reduce the stock, if preferred, then set aside to cool. Remove the garlic and bay, once cool.
Meanwhile to make the pastry, bring all the ingredients together (except the egg yolk) in a food processor or large bowl. Chill in the fridge for around an hour.
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
Remove the pastry from the fridge and roll out on a lightly floured surface to a 1cm/½in thick lid.
Tip the cooled filling into the pie dish and add the Stilton on top. Cover with the lid and brush with the egg wash. Season with salt and pepper.
Place the dish on a baking tray and bake for 30–40 minutes until golden brown.
Serve the pie with the cabbage.
