Prepare yourself for
Steak & Guinness Pie
1 kg Round steak
1 tbsp Flour
1 tsp Brown sugar
1 tbsp Raisins (optional)
5 Onions
300 ml Guinness
8 Slices bacon
3 oz Lard
Chopped parsley
Recipe of short pastry
Cut the steak into bite sized cubes, roll in seasoned flour, and brown in the lard with the bacon, chopped small. Place the meat in a casserole, peel and chop the onions, and fry until golden before adding them to the meat. Add the raisins (if wanted) and brown sugar, pour in the Guinness, cover tightly and simmer over a low heat or in a very moderate oven (325-350°F) for 2½ hours. Stir occasionally, and add a little more Guinness or water if the rich brown gravy gets too thick. Meanwhile, line a deep pie dish with half the pie crust: bake it blind: then add the Guinness/beef mixture from the casserole, cover with the top layer of pie crust, and bake until finished, probably about 10 more minutes. Variation: for the brown sugar, substitute 3 tbsp honey.
Vegetarians can have this, but leave out the bacon:
Boiled Bacon & Cabbage
2½ lb Collar of bacon¹
Medium-sized cabbage
Place the joint in a pot, cover with cold water and bring to the boil, Remove the scum that floats to the surface. Cover and simmer for 1½ hours (or 30 minutes per pound). Cut cabbage into quarters and add to pot. Cook gently for about ½ hour, or until cabbage is cooked to your liking. (Test constantly: do not overdo it) Drain, and serve with potatoes boiled in their jackets, and a sharp sauce - mustard or HP sauce (NOT the US version of HP, the steak sauce, which isn't the right kind of thing at all.)