Nice as pie

THE tradition of steak pie at New Year means different things to different people. Personally, I've always served it as a Ne'erday comforter, perhaps after a long walk on the beach.

But there are others who like to have their pie for dinner the night before, perhaps to help soak up the festivities of the long night ahead, and still others, I have recently learned, who will dig in at around the time of the bells. One thing we can all agree on is that, as comfort food, there is little to compare with a mouthwatering steak pie fresh out of the oven.

The quality of the meat filling is, of course, crucial to the result, so my advice is to get to know your butcher well – my favourite is Anderson's in North Berwick. Remember that, when creating the perfect pie, the steak has to be introduced to the pastry a long time before it gets to the plate, so as to ensure that all those delicious flavours are fully infused.

This week I recommend an old-fashioned soup that is very tasty. It takes me back to when I was eight and holidaying in Anstruther at my granny's. One day I came back with six big turnips that "must have fallen off the tractor, Gran" and she rustled up this delicious recipe. A dash of cream and a pinch of ginger gives a lovely twist to this rustic dish.

Having already endured weeks of cold and rainy weather, we are all due a reward, and an apple-and-pear crumble will hit the spot at New Year. The topping is a crunchier variation on the usual crumble and is perfect served with ice-cream.

Jacqueline O'Donnell is the head chef at The Sisters (www.thesisters.co.uk), 34 Kelvingrove Street, Glasgow (0141 564 1157); and 1 Ashwood Gardens, Glasgow (0141 434 1179)

STEAK PIE

Serves six

50g dripping or butter; 900g stewing beef, diced; 40g plain flour; 1 large onion, peeled and chopped; 600ml beef stock, hot; 1 heaped tbsp tomato purée; 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce; 225g puff pastry (ready-rolled); 1 small egg, beaten

Heat the dripping or butter in a heavy saucepan. Toss half the meat in seasoned flour and brown all over in the fat. Remove with a slotted spoon, then coat the remaining meat and brown it too. Remove and add the onion to the pan, introducing a little more fat at this stage. Gently fry until softened, return the meat to the pan with the hot stock, tomato purée and Worcestershire sauce. Grind in plenty of black pepper and some salt, stir well and bring to the boil.

Cover the pan and reduce to a simmer. Cook very gently for two hours, stirring once. Check the seasoning and then tip the contents into a 1.8-litre pie dish and allow to cool.

Cut a long strip of the rolled-out pastry. Place the pastry strip round the rim of the pie dish, then brush with some of the beaten egg. Place the remaining pastry over the top of the meat and press down to seal all the edges.

Brush with the rest of the beaten egg and pierce a wee hole in the middle. Bake at 220¼C/gas 7 for 30 to 35 minutes until puffed up and golden brown. (If the pastry is getting a little too dark, lightly cover it with a piece of foil.) Serve.

NEEP BREE

Serves four

750g turnips; 50g butter; 1 medium onion, finely chopped; 250ml milk; pinch of ginger; salt and pepper; chopped chives; 1 tbsp cream per person

Peel and chop the turnip roughly and blanch in boiling water for two to three minutes. Pour off the water. Melt the butter in a large pot and add the onions and turnip. Season and add a pinch of ginger. Now cover and cook very gently for about ten minutes.

Add 500ml water, bring to the boil and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Liquidise the contents to a very fine purée. Top up with the milk a little at a time.

Serve and add the chopped chives and cream to each bowl.

APPLE-AND-PEAR CRUMBLE WITH OAT-AND-WALNUT TOPPING

Serves six

6 apples (Cox, Braeburn or Jazz), peeled and seeded; 4 pears, peeled and seeded; 150g butter; pinch cinnamon; 250g oatmeal; 75g soft brown sugar; 50g chopped walnuts

Peel and core the fruit, and cut into large chunks. Melt 50g of the butter in a pan, add the apples and pears and cook for 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove from the heat, add the cinnamon and pop into a baking dish.

For the topping

Gently melt the rest of the butter (100g) over a medium heat. Tip the oats into a bowl and then mix in the butter thoroughly so that it is all incorporated. Add the sugar and walnuts.

Pour the oat mixture over the fruit. Sprinkle with porridge oats, or pinhead oats if you have any, and dot the top with a few blobs of butter. Place into an oven at 180¼C/gas 4 for 15 to 20 minutes until the oats are brown.

SERVE WITH…

2006 La Rectorie, C'tes du Rh'ne Villages, France
The perfect accompanimentto steak pie at Hogmanay
£4.69, Majestic Wine