Umami beef pie with cheesy mushroom mash

Preheat the oven to 125°C. Fry the bacon in a little oil in a casserole until crisp. Lift out and set aside.

Add the garlic, onions, carrot, and fennel and cook for 5 mins. Remove with a slotted spoon.

Dredge the beef in flour and fry in the oil until browned. Pour in the wine and tip the vegetables back in, then stir in the tomato puree, soy sauce, stout, bay, star anise and thyme. Season with pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer then cover with a lid and slowly braise for 4-5 hours, until the meat is tender and the liquid has reduced to thick gravy. (If the gravy is not reduced enough, boil the liquid on the stove until thickened.) Remove the star anise and bay.

While the meat is braising, sauté the mushrooms in butter until very soft. Mix with the mashed potatoes and cheese. Add enough milk to loosen the consistency, and season with pepper to taste.

When the beef is ready, transfer to a pie dish and spread the mash over. Grill for 5 minutes until golden brown. Garnish with chives and serve with steamed vegetables.