What's that? Another pie? Hard on the heels of the last one? Is this going to be a pie blog? No, faithful reader! There will be other types of recipes coming soon, but now is good weather for pies of all kinds, so here's a rich, dark, slow-cooked snog in pie form.
1. It was Christmas. Remember? Or, as I call it, Annual-Boots-3-For-2-Bath-Gift-Exchange-Day. I gave orange bath stuff and got blue bath stuff in return. Now, if you have, and I do hope you do, even one festive bone in your body you will have had a GOOSE and reserved the FAT which should now be sitting smugly in your fridge in a little jar. If you're one of those people who eschews lovely, traditional goose for an overrated North American gobbler then I can't help you. Except maybe suggest some water for your inevitable dry mouth, and a piece of chocolate to mask the annual sense of crushing disappointment. If you're someone who doesn't do Christmas, and not all of you do, then I suggest getting some goose fat from the supermarket in a little expensive pot. It will make you feel luxurious. Anyway, take a couple of spoons of said goose fat and pop it in a pan, gazing in trancelike wonder as it dissolves over a medium heat.
2. Did you quarter any SHALLOTS? Well best do it quickly now then. Add them to the pan and fry gently with some FINELY CHOPPED GARLIC and some DRIED OR FRESH THYME.
3. In a second pan brown some chopped up BEEF. When it's done, add it and any juices to the onions and garlic. Inhale deeply. This is a good time for people to come into the room and say "Wow, that smells amazing, what's that?!" so you can say airily "Oh, it's just some onions and garlic and a bit of beef!" in an only slightly smug tone that implies you can make simple ingredients smell good just by stirring them.
4. What do you mean you haven't sliced the PORTABELLO MUSHROOMS yet? Are you even a bit ready? Add them to the mix and fry!
5. Now is as good a time as any to add DIJON MUSTARD, TOMATO PUREE, WORCESTER SAUCE, BAY LEAVES, A BOTTLE OF ALE, A KNORR RICH BEEF STOCK POT THING, SALT AND PEPPER, and some JUNIPER BERRIES. Stir well and top up with BOILING WATER.
6. Simmer and stir, simmer and stir.
7. If you've been thinking ahead, at this point you may pat yourself on the back and put the mix straight in the oven. If you're reading this and looking anxiously at the plastic coated handles on your pan, then transfer it to something oven-proof and put it in at a lowish temperature for many hours.
8. Walk away! There's nothing more you can do today!
9. Is it tomorrow already? Time to finish off that pie! Heat up your mixture on the stove, then transfer to your pie dish. Mine is from John Lewis, you know. It's rectangular. Crumble in some STILTON and top with a sheet of JUS ROLL PUFF PASTRY. Glaze according to your own ideas and put in the oven for however long the pastry packet suggests you should.
10. Serve! People will go ooh and ahh! They will ask you for the recipe. You can either memorise it and pass it off as your own, or direct them here, as you will.
This also works as a casserole, with extra Stilton crumbled over the top just prior to serving. You can eat a little of the Stilton as you crumble it, as a Chef Tax.
Enjoy!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
but what about QUANTITIES??? Some of us are not intuitive cooks. Is this where you tell us to bog off and get some experience? ;-)
ReplyDeleteHa! No, nothing so harsh! But the point of this recipe blog is to give people recipes that they can genuinely call their own. Therefore I provide a basic method and list the ingredients needed, but the amounts and times are up to you according to taste and preference. You can tailor it to suit how you cook. Once you've made this once it's then YOURS. You can make it for other people and say, oh yes, this is my pie I make. Though any mention of where the recipe originally came from would always be appreciated! Don't panic, these are actually not hard recipes to do, at the end of the day. It's not like baking, for example, which requires precision. Why don't you give it a go? Relax and enjoy it! I promise you, it's cooking for fun!
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of a Chef Tax.
ReplyDelete