Beef and Oyster Quills
This dish was inspired from the days when 18th century housewives would add oysters to a beef pie – to stretch it! I was cycling along the banks of Loch Fyne and stopped off at the Loch Fyne Oyster Bar which does a roaring trade in sustainably produced oysters, then round the corner is Fyne Ales where the owners brew a selection of specialist beers. I spent the night at the Kilfinan Hotel, where Mike the owner/chef and I made a very Scottish traditional pie with Argyll beef, Loch Fyne oysters and Fyne Ale’s Vital Spark dark ale. Pasta is a quicker healthier alternative to puff pastry and tinned oysters are cheaper - and a lot easier to open!
Ingredients
250g (8oz) Marshalls Quills
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
150g (6oz) bacon, roughly chopped
A few sprigs fresh thyme
250g (8oz) stewing steak, cut into 1cm (1/2 inch) pieces
900mls (1 ½ pints) dark ale
400g (14oz) tin tomatoes
65g (3oz) tin smoked oysters, roughly chopped
50g (2oz) parmesan cheese grated to serve
Method
1. Heat the oil in large casserole dish, add the onion, garlic, bacon and thyme. Cook gently for about five minutes.
2. Turn up the heat and add the beef and cook for another five minutes.
3. Add the ale and the tomatoes to the pan. Simmer for 1 hour (with a rolling bubble) till a rich sauce and the meat is tender.
4. Stir in the chopped smoked oysters
5. Cook the pasta according to the pack instructions. Drain and toss with the meat sauce, serve with grated cheese.
Serves 4
Preparation and cooking time: 1 hour. Freezing not recommended
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