Make Nottinghamshire Pie Like Waggon & Horses

Unctuous Beef and Leek Stew Topped with Cheesy Mash

Sep 27, 2009
Larry Ervin

Nottinghamshire Pie at Waggon & Horses - Courtesy Waggon & Horses

While exploring Robin Hood's Sherwood Forest or nearby Southwell Minster, one could do worse than to seek out sustenance at Waggon & Horses in the sleepy village of Halam

Doubtless Robin Hood never ate like this, but his arch nemesis, the sheriff of Nottingham, might have.

Waggon & Horses has been voted one of the Telegraph’s “Top 50 Great Pubs in England and Wales.” Perhaps that is the reason that this gastropub is surprisingly popular despite its out of the way location.

A recent visit found the daily specials chalkboard listing starters ranging from humble mushrooms on toast to more interesting smoked local trout and fennel salad.

For mains, the specials were even more wide-ranging, anchored in traditional sausage and mash with onion gravy, lovely pan-fried lamb’s livers with onion and crisp bacon, as well as their famous Nottinghamshire Pie.

In addition to a rib eye steak with black pepper cream, the specials included several fish choices: haddock with spinach cream, sea bass with white wine and herb cream, and a fillet of brill with buttered leeks and bacon.

Fresh Seasonal Local Ingredients

Waggon & Horses is to be congratulated for not only emphasizing locally sourced produce, fish and game, but also listing their primary sources on the menu. The beef for their Nottinghamshire Pie, for instance, comes from Price & Fretwell in Tibshelf.

The regional specialty of Nottinghamshire Pie, created at the Wagon by chef Roy Wood, is adapted here for the home cook. Topped with a cheesy mash like shepherd’s pie, this beefy version might more properly be called “cowherd’s pie.”

Chuck is one of the most flavorful and economical cuts of beef. It does, however, want low and slow cooking or it will be tough. Recipes like this one are perfect for the budget-minded home cook.

While the recipe calls for Stilton, arguably England’s king of blue-veined cheeses, other blues could be substituted.

Nottinghamshire Pie

Active preparation time: approximately 30 minutes

Cooking time: 2½ hours

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

2 pounds (900g) chuck steak, cubed
1½ ounces (40g) flour seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 ounces (90g) butter
2 whole leeks, washed and chopped
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
1½ quarts (1½ liters) beef stock from concentrate
1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard
2 pounds (900g) potatoes, peeled, boiled, mashed and seasoned
3 ounces (90g) Colston Bassett Stilton
1 slice of bread, toasted, then grated into fine breadcrumbs

Method

Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high flame.
Coat the beef cubes with the seasoned flour; shake off the excess.
In batches, brown the meat in the butter, turning occasionally so all sides are sealed. Don’t crowd the beef or they will braise rather than brown.
Add the leeks, mustard, thyme sprigs and pour in the stock. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until the leeks and beef are very tender, about 2 hours.
A half hour before the beef is done, preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and prepare the mashed potatoes.
When the meat is tender, pour into an ovenproof dish or individual ramekins and spread the mashed potatoes over the top.
Top with the blue cheese and breadcrumbs. Bake, uncovered, until golden brown and bubbly, about 20 minutes.

Waggon & Horses accompanies this (and other dishes) with perfectly steamed mixed vegetables, served in a bamboo steamer.