Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 150?c.
Heat the dripping in a suitably sized pan.
Season the beef evenly with freshly ground pepper and sea salt, carefully add to the hot dripping and colour on all sides. Remove beef with a slotted spoon and place into a casserole dish with a lid.
In the same pan, gently fry the onion and mushrooms until soft but with not too much colour.
Stir in the tomato puree, deglaze the pan with the ale, releasing any sediment from the bottom of the pan.
In a separate pan, whisk the Essential Cuisine Beef Demi-Glace mix into the tepid water, bring to the boil, stirring continuously and simmer for 5 minutes. Add to the onion, mushroom, tomato puree and ale mix.
Add the bay leaf, thyme and Worcestershire sauce, bring back to the boil and pour over the browned beef, give it a good stir.
Cover with a lid and transfer to a medium oven at 150?c for 2 hours or until the beef is tender.
Once cooked, remove from the oven and pick out the bay leaf, correct the seasoning and consistency if required with a little more water.
Pour the mixture into a deep pie dish and allow to cool.
For the Shortcrust Pastry

Preheat oven to 220?c.
Sift the flour and salt into a bowl.
Add the butter and lard, then rub together with your fingertips until the mixture forms fine crumbs.
Make a well in the centre of the mixture and add the water, carefully work together to form a ball.
Wrap the ball tightly in cling-film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Remove pastry from the fridge and remove the cling-film, place on a floured work surface and kneed with your hands for 1 minute or so, until the pastry is smooth. Roll out the pastry to 5mm thick. Wet the edges of the pie dish and then cover with pastry. Scallop the edges with a sharp knife and decorate the top with leaves, using the pastry trimmings.
Glaze the pastry with beaten egg and bake at 220?c for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180?c for a further 30 minutes.
Your Steak and Purity Ale Pie is now ready to serve, why not with your choice of seasonal vegetables and hot buttered new potatoes.