Steak, Kidney and Mushroom Pie

I found a recipe for a steak and mushroom pie and really started craving one, i looked up the syns for pastry and almost had heart failure!!!

So i decided to to replace the pastry with a crispy potato topping instead, which is syn free.

The whole pot of pie filling which made 3 big pies came to 3 syns on extra easy.

It was rich, tender and very very tasty!!!

Preheat oven 200c, 400f, gas mark 5

Ingredients

1 kg beef steak cubes

500g kidney diced

500g mushrooms quartered

3 carrots diced

2 garlic cloves finely chopped

1 large onion chopped

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp each of dried thyme and oregano

1 tbsp fresh rosemary finely chopped

2 bay leaves

1 litre rich beef stock

1 tbsp plain flour 3 syns

Salt and pepper

2 potatoes thinly sliced

Method

In a large pan sprayed with frylight, brown the beef then remove, then brown the kidney and remove.

Spray the pan again then fry the onions for 1 minute, add the carrots and mushrooms and fry for 3 minutes until golden, add the garlic and all the herbs, cook for 1 minute, add the paprika and stir in the flour, return the beef and kidney to the pan and stir in the beef stock and season, bring it to a boil and then simmer over a low heat for 2 hours or until the beef is tender, stirring it often, if it starts to over thicken, just add some water.

Divide the mixture between the pie dishes and top in a single layer with the potato slices, spray with butter frylight and bake in the oven for 30/35 minutes or until the potatoes are crisp and golden.

Kitchen Sink Cottage Pie

I'm not a cottage/shepherd/fish pie fan, i think it's the mashed potato on the top, because unless the mash is really creamy and cheesy i don't really want to know...

My family however love it so i decided to make them one.

I call this my Kitchen Sink Cottage pie because there is everything in it apart from the kitchen sink! I basically raid my fridge and use up all my vegetables.

You can put whatever vegetables you like in it, but the more there is the more super free you are getting!!

I served mine with cabbage, and with any leftover mash potato and cabbage i made Bubble and Squeak

This dish is syn free on extra easy.

The big pot of mince made enough for 8 servings.

Preheat the oven 200c, 400f, gas mark 5

Ingredients

1 kg extra lean mince beef 5% or less

1 large onion chopped

2 garlic cloves finely chopped

8 oz mushrooms chopped

2 carrots diced

2 courgettes diced

1 red pepper diced

1 leek sliced

2 tins tomatoes

1 tbsp tomato puree

1 tbsp Worcester sauce

500 ml beef stock

1 tsp celery salt

1 tbsp of rosemary and thyme finely chopped

salt and pepper

1lb Maris piper potatoes, peeled and cooked until tender then mashed thoroughly.

Method

In a large pan, sprayed with frylight, fry the onions until soft, add the garlic and mushrooms and fry until golden, spray more frylight if needed, add the next four ingredients and fry for 4 minutes, add the herbs are fry for 1 minute to bring out the flavours, turn the heat up and add the minced beef and fry until browned, stirring constantly.

Pour in the tomatoes and stock and stir in the Worcester sauce and tomato puree, add the celery salt and season. bring to a boil then simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, if it starts to dry out, add water.

Put some of the mince into a oven proof dish and top with mashed potato, use a fork to ruffle it up, so it goes crispy. bake for 30 minutes.