Inspired by local ingredients, this warming dish is a savoury bread and beef pudding, with slow-cooked beef shin and layers of fried bread topped with bubbling Cheddar
MID-GLAMORGAN
Serves 6 Prep time 35 mins Cooking time 5 hrs • 1kg beef shin off the bone or 1.5kg on the bone
• 2 medium carrots, halved
• 1 medium onion, quartered
• 2 celery sticks, halved
• 1 small garlic bulb, halved
• 3 fresh bay leaves
• 1 fresh thyme sprig
For the bread and cheese layers
• 150g beef dripping
• 8 thick slices good bread, preferably sourdough
• 3-4 tbsp Dijon or English mustard
• 150g Hafod Welsh Cheddar (or other good Cheddar), grated 1 Heat the oven to 140°C/fan 120°C/gas 1. Put the beef shin in a lidded ovenproof casserole with the vegetables and herbs. Pour over water until it comes three-quarters of the way up the dish. Cut out a piece of baking paper to sit snugly on top of the beef and liquid, then put on the lid.
2 Put in the oven and cook for about 5 hrs until the meat falls apart when tested with a fork. When cooked, remove the beef and veg from the cooking liquid, set aside and allow to cool. Bubble the liquid on the hob to reduce by a third, then reserve.
3 Meanwhile, for the bread and cheese layers, heat a third of the dripping (see tip) in a large frying pan and fry a few slices of the bread for a couple of minutes each side until golden, but not fried all the way through. Repeat with the remaining dripping and bread.
4 Spread the fried bread with the mustard. Roughly flake the beef
