Among regulars are a local running club and a young mums’ group alongside other families who enjoy the informality of what must rank as one of the area’s most stunningly located pubs.
Gibside, near Rowlands Gill, Gateshead, NE16 6BG, 01207 541820, www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Sun Down at Gibside is held every Friday night between 6pm-9pm and is free to attend. Delaval’s National Trust bottled beers can be bought from selected National Trust properties in the North East as well as Fenwick Wine Shop in Newcastle, and is also available on draught at a number of the area’s pubs. Go to www.delavals.com for more details.
RECIPE: Gibside Steak and Wylam Ale Pie
This recipe appears on Gibside’s Potting Shed Café menu.
Ingredients
4-5tbsp vegetable oil
200g streaky bacon, rindless and cut into small strips
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 medium size onions, finely chopped
850g braising steak, trimmed and cubed
500ml bottle of Wylam Ale
500ml beef stock, made with beef bouillon cubes
1tbsp tomato puree
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme leaves
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp corn flour, blended with 2 tbsp cold water to form a paste
250g chestnut mushrooms, cut into quarters
Ground black pepper and sea salt
500g block of ready-made puff pastry
Beaten egg to glaze
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C (140C for fan oven), gas mark 4.
Heat one tablespoon of the oil in a frying pan.
Add the bacon strips and onions and fry until golden brown and soft. Add the garlic and fry for one minute. Transfer to a casserole dish.
Heat another two tablespoons of oil in the frying pan and add steak.
Fry over a medium heat until browned. Fry in batches if necessary.
Season with salt and pepper and transfer to the casserole dish.
Add half the ale to the frying pan, bring to the boil and stir, making the most of all the cooking juices. Add to the casserole dish.
Add the remaining ale, stock, tomato puree and herbs to the frying pan and bring to the boil. Transfer into the casserole dish. Cover and cook in the oven for 1½-2 hours until the beef is tender.
Remove from the oven, stir in the cornflour paste and put back in the oven for another five minutes or until the juice is thick. Adjust the seasoning to taste and leave to cool.
Turn the oven up to 200C (180C for fan ovens), gas mark 6.
Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and fry the mushrooms for five minutes. Add to the casserole dish.
Move all this tasty mixture into a pie dish.
Roll out the pastry on a well-floured board until 4mm thick and 5cm wider than the pie dish to create a pie lid. Cut extra pastry strips to place on the pie dish rim, 1cm wider than the edge.
Brush the rim of the pie dish with the beaten egg and cover with the pastry strips, overlapping where necessary. Brush with more egg.
Place the pastry lid over the filling and cover the pastry strips on the pie dish rim. Trim off any excess pastry with a sharp knife.
Brush with the beaten egg and press the pastry edges together with a flat knife.
Place the pie dish on a baking sheet and cook in the centre of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes until well puffed up and golden.
Serve with boiled potatoes and seasonal vegetables for a hearty winter warmer.