My St. Patrick's Day Dinner in Kilkenny

After dinner we sat round the glowing embers of the log fire and Shaun broached a bottle of "Redbreast", a 12 year old Irish Whiskey distilled by Fitzgerald & Co, and quite the smoothest Irish whiskey I have ever tasted. Sadly I have yet to find this nectar on the shelf of any pub outside Ireland. Perhaps the Irish are canny enough to keep it all for themselves. Who would blame them?

I have prepared Airen's pie recipe often since that evening. It makes a superb dinner for a winter's night as well as for St. Patrick's Day. Perhaps you will enjoy it as much as I have - with, or without the 'Black Diamond' served in a gleaming pewter goblet.

Airen's St Patrick's Day Steak and Kidney Pie
Preparation and cooking time approximately three and a half hours.

For four people you need:

Two lbs. round steak of beef.
Half lb. beef kidney.
Two tbs. flour.
3 ounces lard or vegetable shortening.
Six medium sized onions.
Two tbs. brown sugar.
Six slices Irish or Canadian Bacon
. Four field mushrooms, or one Portabello mushroom.
One pint of Guinness, or Murphy's Stout.
A good sprig of fresh parsley, chopped.
Shortcrust pastry.
Salt and pepper to taste.
A well-filled glass of Irish Whiskey.

Method:
Chop the kidney into small bite sized cubes, removing any gristle, wash thoroughly and place in a bowl. Cover with a half and half mixture of water and white or cider vinegar. Let stand for fifteen minutes, then rinse and pat dry. Cut the steak into bite-size cubes and roll these and the kidney pieces into the flour which has been spiced with salt and pepper. Chop the bacon into one inch pieces and add to the meat. Place the prepared meats in a heavy casserole. Peel and slice the onions and heat in the lard until golden. Add to the meat, together with the sugar, and three quarters of the Stout. Cover the casserole tightly and simmer over low heat or preferably in a moderate (325deg.F) oven for two and a half hours. Stir occasionally and add more Stout if the gravy gets too thick. Meanwhile, line a deep pie dish with pie crust and bake it. Then add the casserole mixture and cover it with a top layer of pie crust. Bake a further ten/fifteen minutes or so until the top is golden brown.
I like to glaze the top layer

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