When you have thirty minutes to spare …

… how about slow cooking a pie filling, in this instance - steak.

Once upon a time the kids were coming to visit. As I've said recently their favourite meat is lamb which was already on the menu. For some reason best known only to me I decided to serve two mains, giving a choice. I wanted to make a pie, I think there's nothing more comforting in the Autumn/Winter. Hey, if the worst came to the worst and it didn't get eaten I could always freeze it.

Here's the recipe for the filling :

Steak Pie Filling

1kg/2.2lbs braising steak or stewing steak, cubed

glug of rapeseed or Canola oil

2 x Knorr beef stock pots

2 heaped tbsp tomato paste

2 heaped tbsp small chunk Branston pickle

or 2 generous tbsp Branston sauce

Brown the meat in a frying pan, using a drop of rapeseed oil – do this in small batches – if you don't you'll get grey looking meat - it'll take ages and will stew. Using a slotted spoon pop the browned meat into the slow cooker.

Dissolve the stock pots in the residual pan juices, then add the tomato paste – make sure the paste is properly melted and “cooked out” - if you don't do this you'll get a bitter taste. Add your Branston, then add 250ml water, bring to the boil and tip over your meat. Slow cook on low for 4 hours. If your gravy is too thin then add a little slaked cornflour and thicken to taste.

Freeze in amounts that suit you. For example, if you make pot pies weigh out how much filling you'd use for the size of pot and freeze accordingly.

Life is so much easier this way!

By the way, the thirty minutes in the title is the time it takes to seal and brown the batches of steak, the rest is done by magic.

Pastry Preferences are on their way.