Beef Pot Pies with Buttered Peas

Ingredients
olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups mushrooms, peeled and sliced
4 rosemary sprigs
3 lbs stewing beef, cubed 1 inch pieces
1 can Guinness
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups freshly grated cheddar cheese
salt and pepper
puff pastry
1 egg


To make filling...
Preheat oven to 375F (190C). In a large oven proof pan heat olive oil over low heat. Add chopped onions and gently fry for about 10 minutes until softened. Turn the heat up to medium then add the carrots, celery, garlic, butter, and mushrooms. Mix everything together then stir in the beef, rosemary, and salt and pepper. Cook for 4 minutes, then add the Guinness, and stir in the flour. Poor in enough water to cover all the meat in the pot. Bring to a simmer, then cover and place in oven for 1 1/2 hours. Remove the pan from the oven and give the stew a stir, then put it back to continue to cook for at least another hour, or until the meat is very tender and the stew is rich and thick. Remove pan from oven and place on stove uncovered to simmer until stew becomes less liquidy and thickens to desired consistency. Remove from heat and stir in half the cheese, then season with salt and pepper. 


To make pie lids...
Dust clean work surface with flour and roll pieces of puff pastry out evenly with a floured rolling pin to about 1/2 cm thick. Cut puff pastry a little larger then the individual oven proof dishes that you will be using for your pot pies.


To make pie...
Spoon pie filling evenly into each oven proof dish. Evenly sprinkle each dish with remaining cheddar cheese. Brush the rims of the oven proof dishes with a beaten egg, then top each dish with rolled out pastry sheet and press slightly to side of dish to seal. Brush the top of each pie with beaten egg, then bake pies in oven for about 15 minutes or until pastry is puffed and golden. Serve with buttered peas :)


Buttered Peas
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups frozen peas
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon mint, finely chopped
1/2 tablespoon basil, finely chopped
salt and pepper


To make peas...
In a sauce pan cook peas over medium heat for 2 minutes. Then add butter, chopped herbs, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for another 5 minutes or until butter has melted and peas have heated through.