ingredients
300 g (12 oz) shortcrust or puff pastry
300 g (12 oz) ox or veal kidney
2 dozen oysters
1 pint (600 ml) beef stock or stock and red wine
1 kg (2 lb) rump steak
1 onion, chopped finely
150 g (6 oz) mushrooms, sliced
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons seasoned flour
method
1. Cube the meat.
2. Trim all the fat from the meat and the kidneys. Sprinkle with seasoned flour.
3. Melt the butter in a frying pan and lightly brown the onion.
4. Remove the onion from the pan and lightly colour the meat.
5. Put the meat and onion into a deep pie dish (with a lid).
6. Pour the stock into the pan and deglaze (mix with the scratchings in the bottom), boiling for a minute or two.
7. Pour the liquid over the meat.
8. Cook the mushrooms in a little butter and add them to the pie dish.
9. Cover with a lid and simmer in a slow oven for 1 1/2 hours at 140 - 150°C (275 - 300°F) mark 1 - 2. (The gravy should be rich and thick as the oysters, when added, will produce more liquids.)
10. Allow the dish and the meat to cool.
11. When you come to make the pie, open the oysters and add them with their liquid to the meat, cover with a pastry crust, glaze and bake at 220°C (425°F) mark 7 if using puff pastry, or 200°C (400°F) mark 6 for shortcrust for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180°C (350°F) mark 4 for a further 25 - 30 minutes.
