Ingredients
60ml sunflower oil
300g shallots, peeled and halved if large (try and keep the root intact, so they keep their shape)
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
400g mixed mushrooms (such as chestnut, button, shiitake, Portobello)
330ml pale ale
Glug of Henderson’s Relish
1 vegetable stock cube
30g tomato purée
30g redcurrant jelly
15g soft light brown sugar
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves or 1 tsp dried thyme
2 bay leaves
3 tbsp cornflour
3 tbsp cold water
180g cooked and peeled chestnuts (vacuum packed is fine)
Flaked sea salt and ground black pepper
200g shortcrust pastry
Method
- Heat two tablespoons of oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Fry the shallots and onion over a medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, or until softened and lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for a few more seconds. Tip the mixture into a bowl and set aside.
- Heat the remaining oil in the same frying pan and fry the mushrooms for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Stir in the ale, Henderson's Relish, crumbled stock cube, tomato purée, redcurrant jelly, brown sugar, thyme and bay leaves. Add the shallots and onions back to the pan. Season the mixture with a good pinch of salt and lots of ground black pepper.
- Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix the cornflour with the water in a small bowl until smooth, then stir into the mushroom mixture. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the sauce thickens, while stirring.
- Stir in the chestnuts and season to taste. Spoon the filling into a 1.5 litre pie dish and leave to cool before topping with the rolled out pastry.
- Preheat the oven to 200°c and then bake the pie for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the pastry is pale golden brown and the filling is hot.