dicky & debbie.com

I love pies.  When the Aussies start chanting “Who ate all the pies” at a cricket match, I just want to shout, I did.  So what.  I love pies.

There is something about the savoury fillings and the rich pastry that makes me go weak at the knees.  I love pies.

I originally saw this recipe on a Rick Stein show and from memory it was a beef beer and oyster pie.  Well, I am not such a great fan of Guiness so I changed that, did not have the mushrooms so I changed that and then I went on to restructure the whole dish.

When I make this I choose one of two ways to present this dish.  Family style is making it in a cast iron dutch oven and just laying a slab of pastry over the top and finishing in the oven.  If making for a presentation style dish I often use some tin pie molds although lately we have just been using some texas muffin tins and making a parcel out of  the pastry or even a ramekin with pastry over the top.  This dish stands up to a good tomato chutney well and accompanies mashed taties and peas great.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons plus 2 tablespoon oil divided
1 kilo stewing, skirt or chuck steak
300 grams buton mushrooms
100 grams diced streaky bacon
2 sprigs on thyme
3 onions, diced
1 tablespoon flour
300 mls vegetabl or beef stock
300mls of stout * see note below
1 bay leaf fresh or 2 dried
500 grams rolled out puff pastry
1 beated egg

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil and brown the meat in batches, reserving on a plate to catch the juices.  Add the mushroom and bacon and cook over a medium heat until the mushrooms have plumped and the bacon fat has been rendered.  Remove and reserve.  Add the onion and thyme and another tablespoon of oil if required.  Lower the heat to low and cover, cooking until the onions have softened, about 10-15 minutes.

Dice the cooled steak, removing any excess  fat and gristle and retun to the pan with the onions, increasing the heat to high.  Add in the flour, mushrooms and onions and stir to combine.  Heat through.  Carefully add the stock and the stout and bayleaf and bring to the boil.  Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for around 90 minutes, stirring occassionally.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool before covering with the pastry.  Brush the pastry with the beaten egg and heat for about 20-25 minutes.

*Note re stout.  When cooking with Guiness I find that the beer takes on a bitter taste.  Try to use a beer that has a less bitter note.

Baking the meatballs makes them so much healthier as the fat gets rendered out.  Also the all around heat helps them to cook evenly and reduces the chance of them burning on the bottom through inattention.

Ingredients

1 onion, finely diced
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon dry English mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground chili
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon tomato sauce
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
salt and ground black pepper
1 kilo premium mince beef or lamb
1 egg, beaten
1 handful of coarse breadcrumbs

Method

Over a medium heat, sweat the onions until softened.  Add the spices and continue to cook for another minute until fragrant.  Allow to cool.

Ina  large mixing bowl or the bowl of your food processor, add the mince, the onion mix, the sauces and the seasoning.  Add the bread crumbs and combine well.

Either roll into golf ball sized balls or shape into patties.  Place on a heavy baking sheet lined with baking paper.  Bake meatballs for 16-20 minutes in a 180°C oven or until well browned.  If making patties cook in a Grill or a wide  fry pan until done.

Allow to cool for ten minutes before transfering to the fridge for an hour before sealing to freeze.

This makes about 24 meatballs and about 1 tray.  For OAMC you can triple the batch and fill your oven up completely.  An adult serve is four to five meatballs so three trays will give you 15 serves.

You can chop the meatballs in half for use in hamburgers or even toss a couple    couscous salad for lunch.