Beef shin and blue cheese cobbler
Slow-cooking beef shin in beer gives you a tender, melt-in-the mouth stew. The blue cheese cobbler topping is a great way to use up any leftover Stilton.
Ingredients
For the beef shin
- 1kg/2lb 4oz shin of beef
- plain flour, for dusting
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 100g/3½oz butter
- 150g/5½oz smoked panetta, roughly chopped
- 4 onions, thinly sliced
- ½ head celery, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp soft brown sugar
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 500ml/18fl oz dark Belgian beer
- 1–2 bay leaves
- 2 thyme sprigs
- 1 head garlic, cut in half
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley, to garnish
For the topping
Method
Preheat the oven to 160C/140C Fan/Gas 3.
Season the beef and roll in a little flour.
Heat the oil in a large casserole dish and sear the beef all over. Remove the beef and set aside.
Melt the butter, then add the pancetta, onions and celery and cook until the onions are soft and the pancetta is crisp.
Return the beef to the pan, then add the sugar and vinegar. Allow to bubble then pour in the beer. Add the herbs and garlic and cook for 2–3 hours, or until the beef is tender and falling apart.
Remove the dish from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
To make the topping, rub the flour and butter together with the salt and thyme. Stir in the cheese and slowly add the milk. Mix until you have a rough dough.
Roll the dough into a 3cm/1¼in thick log. Cut it into slices and layer it over the beef stew.
Cook for 25–30 minutes. Sprinkle over the parsley and serve.
