Steak and Kidney Pie | British Beef and Kidney Pie

Peel away the thin membrane on the outside of the kidney with your fingers. Cut it in half and use scissors to remove all the white fat and firm tubes from the center; these carry most of the odor. Cut into 2 cm pieces, rinse in cold water, and place in the milk.

Drain the kidney from the milk, rinse it in cold water, and pat dry. Put it in a bowl with the cubed beef and toss with the flour, salt, and black pepper.

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot. Brown the beef and kidney in three batches, turning until browned on all sides. Transfer to a plate.

In the same pot, sauté the chopped onion for 5 minutes. Add the quartered mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes more. Stir in the tomato paste and mustard and cook for 1 minute.

Return the beef and kidney to the pot. Add the stock, thyme, and bay leaf, scraping the bottom as you bring it to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat for 90 minutes, until the meat pulls apart easily with a fork and the gravy coats the back of a spoon. Remove the thyme stems and bay leaf, then transfer the filling to a pie dish.

Put the flour and salt in a bowl. Rub in the grated suet and cubed cold butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the ice water a spoonful at a time and bring the dough together without kneading. Wrap it in plastic wrap.

Roll the pastry 4 mm thick and 3 cm wider than the rim of the dish. Moisten the rim with water, lay the pastry over the cold filling, press the edges to seal, and trim away the excess. Cut a steam vent in the center and brush the top with beaten egg.

Bake in an oven preheated to 200°C / 390°F for 35 minutes, until the crust is deep golden and gravy bubbles through the steam vent.

Spoon the rested pie into portions and serve with boiled peas and mashed potatoes.