Ingredients

• olive oil
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 stalks of celery, chopped
• 1 large red onion, chopped
• 1 leek, white and light green part only, cut in half lengthwise and sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 kg (2 lb) stewing beef, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 500 ml (2 cups) ale
• 150 g (1 cup) crumbled blue cheese
• 2 sheets ready-rolled puff pastry
• 1 large egg, beaten

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

2. In a large Dutch oven or other ovenproof pot (or just a large pot if you’ll be cooking it on the stovetop; see note above), heat a good splash of olive oil on a medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, onion and leek along with a pinch of salt so the onions don’t brown. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft. Add the garlic, thyme and a generous seasoning of salt and pepper and cook for 1 or 2 minutes more. Stir in the beef, then add in the flour. Stir well to coat the beef and vegetables with the flour and cook for 2 or 3 minutes. Pour in the ale, give everything a stir and bring to a boil.

3. Cover the pot with a lid and place in the preheated oven for 2 1/2 hours, giving it a stir now and then, until the meat is tender. If the stew looks too liquid, put the pot on the stovetop, uncovered, and simmer it until it reduces to a consistency you like. Once it’s ready, either straight from the oven or after reducing, take it off the heat and stir in the cheese, then taste it and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

4. Place one large ovenproof pie dish or individual gratin dishes on a baking tray just in case any filling bubbles up and over the sides, then spoon the stew into the dish(es). Cut the ready-rolled sheet of pastry to fit the top of the pie dish (or individual dishes), rolling it out a little on a lightly floured countertop with a rolling pin if you need to in order for it to cover your dish. Brush the edges of the dish(es) with some of the beaten egg to help the pastry stick in place, then carefully place the pastry lid on top. Brush the pastry with the beaten egg, then bake in the oven for 30 minutes, or until the pastry has risen and is golden. Allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving.

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