Preheat the oven to 160C/310F/2 ½.
Heat the butter and oil in the casserole, add the chopped onion and sauté on a moderate heat until transparent and starting to take on colour.
Add the chopped carrot, celery and swede and continue to sauté for a few minutes continually stirring. Remove from the heat.
Heat the beef dripping until sizzling hot, add the meat and sear it until browned on all sides. You will need to do this in batches, so you don’t overcrowd the pan and steam rather than brown the meat. As you brown each batch transfer the meat to the casserole.
Place the casserole on the hob and heat as you pour in the wine and stock. Once the stew begins to bubble stir in the redcurrant jelly and add the thyme, bay leaf and plenty of black pepper.
Cover and place in the preheated oven for 2 hours or until the meat is tender.
While the stew is cooking, make the Skirlies. Place the potatoes in the saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Add ½ tsp of salt and simmer until the potatoes are tender.
Oil the baking dish.
In the small frying pan melt the butter and oil and heat until starting to foam.
Add the chopped shallot and lardons and sauté until the onion is translucent and the lardons have rendered most of the fat and are starting to brown.
Add the oats and continue cooking until they start to colour.
Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley and thyme.
Drain the potatoes and pass through a potato ricer into a mixing bowl.
Add the oats and bacon mixture and stir thoroughly to incorporate all the ingredients.
Spread the mixture in the baking tray and allow to cool to room temperature.
Cover with clingfilm and place in the freezer for an hour.
Take the baking dish out of the freezer and cut the potato mixture into 4 squares and then cut each square in half again diagonally to create triangles.
Place the flour in a shallow dish and very carefully lift the cakes out of the baking dish with a spatula and coat them on both sides in the flour. Place on a work surface near the oven.
Place a tablespoon of oil in the shallow frying pan or griddle, place two skirlies into it and cook until browned (about 2 minutes); turn over and cook the other side.
Transfer the skirlies back to the work surface. You need to be very careful doing this. Once the skirlies are heated they become very soft and are likely to break up.
Take the casserole out of the oven and use a slotted spoon to transfer the meat and vegetables to the large bowl.
Boil the sauce over a high heat until reduced and thickened.
Return the meat to the casserole and season with salt and pepper.
Remove from the heat and discard the thyme sprig and bay leaf.
Place two skirlies in each shallow bowl and cover with the stew.
