Name: Spicy Beef and Guinness Pie
Yield: Serves 6-8
Ingredients: 8 oz (200 g) plain flour; good pinch salt; 6 oz (150 g) from an 8 oz block frozen butter or margarine; For the glaze - 1 egg yolk; 2 teaspoons (2 x 5 ml spoon) arrowroot; salt, black pepper; 1 lb (400 g) carrots - cleaned and sliced; 1 teaspoon (5 ml spoon) whole allspice berries; 6 cloves; 1 teaspoon (5 ml spoon) juniper berries (optional); 1 tablespoon (15 ml spoon) oil; ¼-½ whole nutmeg - grated; 2-3 large cloves garlic - chopped finely; 2 lb (800 g) lean stewing beef - chopped in cubes; ½ pt bottle Guinness or other stout; 8 oz (200 g) large prunes - soaked in water overnight; 6 tablespoons (6 x 15 ml spoon) very cold water - preferably

Preparation info

Serves
6-8

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

Cooking for Christmas

By Josceline Dimbleby

Published 1978

About

A golden pie which looks and tastes extra-special. It is most suitable for one of your festive meals as it can be prepared well beforehand and will only need putting into the oven to bake. If you have an aversion to prunes don’t be put off - they disintegrate in the stout and produce the most delicious, rich, dark sauce. The juniper berries are optional but can be found in most delicatessens and will add tantalisingly to the flavour. Allspice is best ground from whole berries but you can al