Like a baby bird with a big fat worm, #whatsfortea has well and truly whetted your appetite over the last 5 years.

Ok, maybe that wasn’t the best analogy, but we have created our very own cookbook calendar if you’re stuck for tea ideas. Let us know if you want one!

Alfie’s Steak and Guinness Pie

Ingredients:

900g diced stewing steak, 25g flour, plus extra for dusting, 100g butter, 2 onions roughly chopped, 2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped, 2 medium carrots, roughly chopped, 150g button mushrooms, 2 sprigs fresh thyme, 400ml (Irish, of course) ale, 500ml beef stock, Salt and pepper, 1 egg beaten for glazing, 300g ready-made rolled puff pastry.

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/428°F/Gas Mark 7.

2. Pour flour into a bowl and season well. Coat the meat with the seasoned flour.

3. Heat half the butter in a pan and add the meat. Sear all over until golden brown.

4. Add the vegetables, herbs, ale and stock. Bring to a simmer, then cover with a lid and gently simmer for 1 hr. When cooked, season, add the remaining butter and pour into an ovenproof serving dish.

5. Brush the edge of the dish with the beaten egg. Roll out the pastry using as little flour as possible and place over the dish.

6. Pinch the edges of the dish so that the pastry will stick to it and trim off any remaining pieces of pastry from around the edge. Brush the pastry top thoroughly with the remaining beaten egg and place on a baking tray.

7. Bake in the oven for 20-30 mins until the pastry is golden brown on top.

Top tip: Serve with buttery mash, seasonal vegetables, gravy and a tinnie or two!

Cheers Alf!