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Another Guinness Recipe - this one from Gordon Ramsay, via Liz, with modifications! I am using less meat and beer, and onions not shallots. It's cheaper that way.

Cook's notes - I used my "Baker's Secret" Pie Tin, which I bought for a song in a five-and-dime store in Vermont in 2004. If I had known just how good it would be [non-stick, non-scratch, etc] I would have bought far more of this bakeware. I cannot bear waste, so used the leftover pastry scraps for a motif on the top. Couldn't find my 'cow' cutter, for the beef, and don't have a 'toucan' for the Guinness, so used my 'hand' [from Boston] to do my favourite Shaker motif [hands to work and hearts to God - well, it was a lunch for a Very Busy Sunday] GR makes his pie with a top crust only, but I rolled out the pastry thinner and made it double crust,as Bob and I prefer that. The long slow simmering helps with the flavour, and I deglazed the pan with remaining Guinness and added gravy granules to make a lovely rich gravy.

Beef & Guinness Pie - serves 4/5

500 braising steak, cubed

2 tbsp flour

salt&pepper

1tbsp tomato puree

300 ml Guinness

3 red onions peeled and quartered

3 sprigs thyme

2 bayleaves

2 garlic cloves peeled

500g shortcrust pastry [Sainsbury's chilled, to save time]

1 egg beaten with 10ml water

1; Mix flour, salt and pepper in bowl, roll the beef pieces to coat.

2; Heal oil, fry beef till golden brown. Add puree, cook 1 minute. Pour in Guinness, add onions, thyme, bay, garlic. Stir well. Cover and simmer 1 hour. Remove bayleaves and discard.

3; Preheat over to 200C/Gas6.

4; Roll out pastry, line a 20cm/8" pie dish.

5; Spoon filling into dish, top with remaining pastry. Crimp & seal edges. Decorate if desired! Brush with beaten egg.

6; Transfer to baking tray, bake 15-20 mins. Serve immediately.

Here's Bob looking replete, having just finished his lunch. I served the pie with mash, plus carrot and courgette batons. All liberally sprinkled with chopped parsley [cos I have this daft notion it makes meals look 'posh' and also ups our Vitamin C intake!] The drink is some iced tea - because it was SO warm yesterday.

Bob is wearing the wonderful Amazing Grace tie he got at the 2005 Baptist World Congress in Birmingham. Very appropriate for Pentecost Sunday.

The Times published a letter almost identical to mine - but from a woman named Judith - who had even more reason to feel irritated by the mistake!

I have just found a recipe for my breadmaker requiring Budweiser beer. So if you are reading this, Mark, I understand from Steph that your new job with the company includes beer as well as a paycheque each month. Please save me a can or two!