Showing posts with label Comfort Food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Comfort Food. Show all posts
Steak and Potato Pie. I put my hand up now. I have a great love for savory pies. Well, I love any kind of pie, really, but I do so love a good meat pie.
With a flaky, buttery crust, rich gravy and meat filling, I don't think there is anything much more delicious on earth. It is a love I share with the rest of my family.
We are all nuts for pies, especially savory ones. They are something we grew up on. My mother made the best meat pies. Every time she cooked a roast dinner we all got excited because we knew she would be making a meat pie with the leftovers.
There were beef pies, and chicken pies and turkey pies. All filled with leftover cooked meat, leftover gravy, potatoes and vegetables. We loved them, probably more than the initial meal.
But come on now, Pie . . . who doesn't love pie!
.JPG "Steak & Potato Pie")
On rare occasions mom would make my father's favorite, French Canadian Salmon Pie. Oh, how I loved those salmon pies with their flaky pastry and salmon, onion and potato filling. I have not made one in a while now. Time to rectify that and bake one methinks!
.JPG "Steak & Potato Pie")
.JPG "Steak & Potato Pie")
.JPG "Steak & Potato Pie")
.JPG "Steak & Potato Pie")
.JPG "Steak & Potato Pie")
.JPG "Steak & Potato Pie")
.JPG "Steak & Potato Pie")
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
.JPG "Steak & Potato Pie")
But not today. Today we are enjoying a beautiful rich Steak & Potato Pie. Tender pieces of beef steak, and potato in a rich thick gravy, all encased in two buttery flaky crusts. So delicious!
You could of course use puff pastry for this, but I prefer to use my regular Butter and Lard Pastry. It is so tender and flaky and goes very well with meat fillings. It's a great all-round pastry actually, and my pastry of preference for any kind of pie.
.JPG "Steak & Potato Pie")
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE STEAK & POTATO PIE
Pretty simple ingredients. This is quite similar to a British pie except that it has two crusts and it's a bit spicier. It looks like a long list, but most of it is seasonings.
- 2 1/2 pounds (a generous kilogram) sirloin steak, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1/3 cup (41g) plain all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp garlic salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 TBS light olive oil
- 2 TBS butter
- 2 cups (480ml) beef stock
- 2 TBS HP sauce
- 3 TBS tomato ketchup
- 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp summer savory (can use marjoram)
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- enough butter/lard pastry for a two-crust pie
.JPG "Steak & Potato Pie")
You shouldn't need any other seasonings for this. I never have to add any extra salt or pepper. It's just right. Not too spicy and just salty enough.
For beef stock, I use the type that comes in a small container that you reconstitute with water. You can also use stock cubes. Just be careful as some of them can be quite salty, so don't add any salt until you have tasted it.
You can leave the ketchup out if you want to, but we rather like it. HP sauce can be substituted with any kind of steak sauce you prefer. In the UK, they call it brown sauce, and it goes very well with savory, meaty things.
.JPG "Steak & Potato Pie")
HOW TO MAKE STEAK & POTATO PIE
It's really quite easy. I like to make the filling the day before and then chill it overnight so that it is good and cold when I put it into the pastry. If you also make the pastry ahead of time, this makes for a very quick entree.
Place the flour into a bowl along with the garlic salt, pepper, paprika and cumin. Add the cubes of steak and toss them in the flour to coat them.
Heat the oil and butter in a large heavy bottomed saucepan. Once the butter begins to foam start adding the meat cubes. Cook over medium high heat until browned. Remove as it browns and add more. (Don't crowd the pan, work in batches as required.) (Reserve the leftover flour mixture.)
Return all the meat to the pan, along with any juices. Sprinkle any remaining flour over top.
Add the beef stock, ketchup, HP sauce, onions, thyme, summer savory and bay leaf to the pot. Bring to the boil, stirring, then reduce to medium low. Cover tightly and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour. (Check periodically to give it a stir and make sure it is not sticking to the bottom of the pan. If you think it to be too thick, add a bit more hot stock.)
.JPG "Steak & Potato Pie")
Add the potatoes. Cover and simmer for a further half an hour, until the potatoes are fork tender. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Remove and discard the bay leaf. (This can be done the day ahead, in which case you can put the filling into a covered container and chill in the refrigerator.)
To prepare the pie. Roll out enough pastry for the bottom crust and use to fill a 9-inch round deep pie dish. Spoon the filling into the pastry. Roll out the remaining pastry to make a round large enough to cover the filling. Place over top.
Seal, trim, and crimp the edges of the pastry. Cut some steam vents in top of the pie. Place onto a baking sheet,
Bake in the preheated oven (375*F/190*C/gas mark 5) for 45 minutes to one hour, until golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
Remove from the oven and let stand for 15 minutes. Cut into wedges to serve.
.JPG "Steak & Potato Pie")
I don't think anyone can ever accuse me of perfect presentation. What you see is what you get and you can always be sure that its a realistic presentation of what I have cooked. Plain and simple, just like me.
Always delicious. Or at least I think so. I hope you do too!
.JPG "Steak & Potato Pie")
Some other savory pies in The English Kitchen which you might enjoy are:
CORNED BEEF AND POTATO PIE - This is a real favorite with a lovely hearty filling made from tinned corned beef, onions and boiled potato. It's really very delicious! (And very British!)
CHICKEN AND MUSHROOM PIE - A hearty filling of chicken and mushrooms in a delicious ale gravy, tucked beneath the thatch of a puff pastry lid. This is also a real favorite with us, and again, very British.
Yield: 8
Steak & Potato Pie
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 2 H & 10 MInactive time: 15 MinTotal time: 2 H & 35 M
Tender chunks of beef and cubes of potato in a rich gravy sandwiched between two buttery crusts. It doesn't get much better than this. If you are on your own, why not make individual pies and freeze them! Cook time does not reflect chilling the filling overnight.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 pounds (a generous kilogram) sirloin steak, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 1/3 cup (41g) plain all purpose flour
- 1 tsp garlic salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 TBS light olive oil
- 2 TBS butter
- 2 cups (480ml) beef stock
- 2 TBS HP sauce
- 3 TBS tomato ketchup
- 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp summer savory (can use marjoram)
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- enough butter/lard pastry for a two-crust pie
Instructions
- Place the flour into a bowl along with the garlic salt, pepper, paprika and cumin. Add the cubes of steak and toss them in the flour to coat them.
- Heat the oil and butter in a large heavy bottomed saucepan. Once the butter begins to foam start adding the meat cubes. Cook over medium high heat until browned. Remove as it browns and add more. (Don't crowd the pan, work in batches as required.) (Reserve the leftover flour mixture.)
- Return all the meat to the pan, along with any juices. Sprinkle any remaining flour over top.
- Add the beef stock, ketchup, HP sauce, onions, thyme, summer savory and bay leaf to the pot. Bring to the boil, stirring, then reduce to medium low. Cover tightly and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour. (Check periodically to give it a stir and make sure it is not sticking to the bottom of the pan. If you think it to be too thick, add a bit more hot stock.)
- Add the potatoes. Cover and simmer for a further half an hour, until the potatoes are fork tender. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Remove and discard the bay leaf. (This can be done the day ahead, in which case you can put the filling into a covered container and chill in the refrigerator.)
- To prepare the pie. Roll out enough pastry for the bottom crust and use to fill a 9-inch round deep pie dish. Spoon the filling into the pastry. Roll out the remaining pastry to make a round large enough to cover the filling. Place over top.
- Seal, trim, and crimp the edges of the pastry. Cut some steam vents in top of the pie. Place onto a baking sheet,
- Bake in the preheated oven (375*F/190*C/gas mark 5) for 45 minutes to one hour, until golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
- Remove from the oven and let stand for 15 minutes. Cut into wedges to serve.
Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
I have been craving Beef Stew all week. It's a winter thing I guess, and having just come through having had a bad cold I was really craving some sort of comfort food.
In the UK they make things called Hot Pots in the winter months. This is usually with lamb, but I have also seen them made with other meats such as pork or chicken. This is the ultimate in comfort food.
.JPG "Beef Steak Hot Pot")
Meat and vegetables layered in an oven proof casserole dish with some stock, and then baked until everything is meltingly tender. Usually there is a thatch of sliced potatoes on top, but not always.
Today I decided to make myself a hot pot of sorts using some steak I found in my freezer, and why not! I was really pleased with how it turned out as well. This is sized for two to three people, but could certainly be made large enough to feed many more than that.
.JPG "Beef Steak Hot Pot")
Its not a recipe as much as it is a technique. Meat it browned and then layered up with a variety of vegetables. A flavor filled stock is poured over top and then the whole thing is baked long and slow until everything melts in your mouth.
You can thicken the juices to make a delicious gravy if you wish.
.JPG "Beef Steak Hot Pot")
Its all a matter of using what you have. I have even seen hot pots made with canned corned beef and baked beans. Using steak would be at the higher end of the scale!
Delicious, hearty and thrifty, that is the epitome of a classic hot pot, and in these days of having to pinch our pennies, thrifty counts more than ever!
.JPG "Beef Steak Hot Pot")
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE BEEF STEAK HOT POT
I simply used what meat and vegetables I had in my freezer and refrigerator. Using up what you already have is the name of the game! This is by no means a stringent list of ingredients!
- 1 tsp butter
- 1 tsp oil
- 10 ounces (285g) top round or stewing steak cut into pieces
- 1/2 tsp each garlic powder, salt, black pepper and summer savory (or thyme)
- 1/2 small white cabbage cut into wedges
- 1 large parsnip, peeled and thickly sliced
- 1/3 of a small turnip (rutabaga/swede) peeled and cut into thick half moons
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and thickly sliced
- 2 small onions quartered
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1 TBS tomato ketchup
- 1 TBS sweet pickle juice or Worcestershire sauce
- 1 TBS HP or other steak sauce
- 1 heaped TBS to thicken the gravy
.JPG "Beef Steak Hot Pot")
I am not sure what kind of steak I had as I had not marked the package but bear in mind you don't want to use your most expensive cut. I would suggest a rump or round steak. Any kind of steak which is well suited to braising.
Likewise, your vegetables. Root vegetables braise very well, and I think they taste even better if braised until they melt in your mouth. But I could be alone in that way of thinking. I like to mash them up on my plate and dot them with butter.
.JPG "Beef Steak Hot Pot")
Cabbage is especially lovely when braised long and slow for a lengthy period of time. It becomes almost buttery, and it does indeed melt in the mouth.
I love rutabaga, carrots and parsnips. They work very well in a dish like this.
.JPG "Beef Steak Hot Pot")
I chose to flavor the stock with a few aromatics, tomato ketchup, HP sauce and some sweet pickle juice. If you don't have sweet pickle juice then you can use Worcestershire sauce, or even leave it out altogether. I happen to like it in any dish like this one.
You will also note that there is not a lot of seasoning in this dish. With aromatics such as the above you don't really need a lot of seasoning. Just make sure you sprinkle some of it on each layer.
.JPG "Beef Steak Hot Pot")
HOW TO MAKE BEEF STEAK HOT POT
Nothing could really be easier. Brown your meat and then layer up your veg and bake. You can thicken the juices at the end for a delicious gravy if you wish.
Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4.
Heat the butter and oil in a heavy based oven proof casserole until the butter begins to foam. Add the pieces of steak and brown them well on both sides.
Mix together the herbs and seasonings in a small bowl.
Place the onion quarters around the browned steak in the bottom of the casserole. Sprinkle with a bit of the seasoning.
Layer in the vegetables one at a time on top of the steak, sprinkling each layer with the seasoning mixture, and ending with the wedges of cabbage.
Whisk together the beef stock, ketchup, pickle juice, and HP sauce. Pour over the meat and vegetables. Cover the casserole tightly.
Place into the preheated oven. Roast for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours until the meat and vegetables are tender.
Remove from the oven. Using a slotted spoon remove the meat and vegetables from the juices to a platter. Set aside and keep warm. Whisk the flour into the remaining juices and cook, whisking constantly over medium high heat until the gravy thickens.
Serve portions of the meat along with the vegetables with some of that delicious gravy spooned over top.
.JPG "Beef Steak Hot Pot")
This really was delicious. I always love something like boiled potatoes or mash with this type of a meal. Today it was boiled potatoes.
I boiled them in their skins just like my mother always did. Just pick some small to medium sized potatoes and wash them very well. Cover with lightly salted water, bring to the boil and then simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until fork tender.
Spear with a fork and peel. As I was peeling mine, I was thinking of my mother and watching her peel boiled potatoes for our supper. What a sweet memory for me that was.
.JPG "Beef Steak Hot Pot")
If you are a fan of long and slow cooking, you might also enjoy the following:
POT ROASTED PORK WITH CABBAGE AND CARROTS - This Pot Roasted Pork with Cabbage and carrots is one of my favorite meals to cook when the temperatures start dropping and the nights begin to draw in. A long slow braise results in succulent moist pork, tender roasted carrots, butter tender cabbage and a rich gravy that is to die for.
LANCASHIRE HOT POT - If you are a fan of Coronation Street you will be familiar with the pleasure of the Lancashire Hot Pot. This is as traditional as they get, with layers of lamb, onions and carrots, and a lovely thatch of buttery sliced potato on top.
Yield: 2-3
Beef Steak Hot Pot
Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 2 HourTotal time: 2 H & 20 M
Tender pieces of beef with plenty of vegetables cooked long and slow. You can make a delicious gravy with the pan juices. I like to serve this with boiled or mashed potatoes!
Ingredients
- 1 tsp butter
- 1 tsp oil
- 10 ounces (285g) top round or stewing steak cut into pieces
- 1/2 tsp each garlic powder, salt, black pepper and summer savory (or thyme)
- 1/2 small white cabbage cut into wedges
- 1 large parsnip, peeled and thickly sliced
- 1/3 of a small turnip (rutabaga/swede) peeled and cut into thick half moons
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and thickly sliced
- 2 small onions quartered
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1 TBS tomato ketchup
- 1 TBS sweet pickle juice or Worcestershire sauce
- 1 TBS HP or other steak sauce
- 1 heaped TBS to thicken the gravy
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4.
- Heat the butter and oil in a heavy based oven proof casserole until the butter begins to foam. Add the pieces of steak and brown them well on both sides.
- Mix together the herbs and seasonings.
- Place the onion quarters around the steak in the bottom of the casserole. Sprinkle with a bit of the seasoning.
- Layer in the vegetables one at a time on top of the steak, sprinkling each layer with the seasoning mixture, and ending with the wedges of cabbage.
- Whisk together the beef stock, ketchup, pickle juice, and HP sauce. Pour over the meat and vegetables. Cover the casserole tightly.
- Place into the preheated oven. Roast for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours until the meat and vegetables are tender.
- Remove from the oven. Using a slotted spoon remove the meat and vegetables from the juices to a platter. Set aside and keep warm.
- Whisk the flour into the remaining juices and cook, whisking constantly over medium high heat until the gravy thickens.
- Serve portions of the meat along with the vegetables with some of the gravy spooned over top.
I am back today with another delicious recipe that I think you are going to love. I decided to take a few days off to recup after all the stress of the holidays etc. and am now feeling fighting fit and raring to go! I think we all need a breather every now and then, don't you?
Like you I am really looking foward to more deliciousness in 2023. Thanks so much for bearing with me!
Today I am sharing the "Best Chili Recipe." I am always a little taken aback when someone has the audacity to brand something as the best!
I found the original recipe for this on a page called Fit Foodie Finds. I was having my family over for Sunday supper and my brother in law had asked would I make chili!
I know it is a bit cheeky to try out new recipes on family, but this looked very good, and how could I resist trying something that labeled itself the "Best!"
.JPG "Best Chili Recipe")
Of course, I could not leave well enough alone and added a few bits and bobs into the mix, and also changed the cook time, but overall, I pretty much followed the recipe to the "T."
It was filling, flavorful, and pretty healthy overall! I added some green pepper to it, used more onion, more tomatoes and only one type of bean. Other than that, I used the recipe pretty much as written.
.JPG "Best Chili Recipe")
I did change up the cooking method a little bit as well. I toasted the spices for extra flavor. I have always found that toasting your spices before using them in a stew or soup adds something extra special to the taste.
I also thought that the original fifteen minutes cook time was not near enough to really develop the flavors the way I wanted them to be and so I increased it exponentially, with excellent results! This chili was fabulous!
.JPG "Best Chili Recipe")
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THE BEST CHILI RECIPE
For the most part it is store cupboard ingredients. No fuss, no muss. The perfect winter comfort food supper.
- 1 TBS flavorless oil (I use light olive oil)
- 1 lb. (450g) lean ground beef/steak
- 1 medium onion, peeled and finely diced
- 1 TBS minced garlic
- 1 small green pepper, trimmed, deseeded and diced
- 1 (15 oz/420g) tins of dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 (15 oz/420g) tins of diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 (15 oz/420g) tin of tomato sauce/passata
- 3 TBS tomato paste
- 1 TBS maple syrup
- 3 TBS chili powder (North American, not UK type)
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp ground pepper
- 1 cup (240ml) beef stock
.JPG "Best Chili Recipe")
My ground beef was really lean. It's an organic locally raised beef that I buy frozen at my local farmer's market. Because it was so lean, I browned it in a bit of oil. There is only about 5% fat in it. If your beef is not quite as lean, you may want to cut back on the oil used or leave it out altogether.
I added green pepper for a bit of color and some flavor. We like peppers in our chili. If my father had not been eating it, I might have been tempted to add jalapeno peppers, but we like to keep things a bit milder for him. I also pretty much doubled the amount of onion because we like onions.
.JPG "Best Chili Recipe")
In North America I used a can of tomato sauce, which is not the same thing as tomato sauce in the UK. Tomato sauce in the UK is generally thought to mean tomato ketchup. Their "tomato sauce" is tomato passatta, which is crushed and seived tomatoes, or basically the same thing as North American tomato sauce.
I used two tins of tomatoes rather than the single tin in the original recipe because we really like tomatoes and, to be honest, it gave the chili the perfect consistency.
.JPG "Best Chili Recipe")
I also used two cans of kidney beans instead of one can of kidney and one can of pinto beans. Basically I am trying to use what I already have in my larder than run out and buy special ingredients for things.
That is my goal for 2023, to make good use of what I already have. By all means use one can of pinto beans if you have them! I think even a can of black beans would be nice.
.JPG "Best Chili Recipe")
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST CHILI RECIPE
It's not rocket science. Chili has to be one of the easiest things to make! And, might I add, so good at this time of year when the temperatures are chilly, and the air is damp.
Add the chili powder, ground cumin, paprika, and garlic powder to a small dry skillet. Toast over moderate heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Set aside.
Add the olive oil to a large saucepan. Add the onions and green pepper. Crumble in the beef. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes until the beef is browned and no longer pink. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds longer.
.JPG "Best Chili Recipe")
Stir in the toasted spices, oregano and salt and pepper, combining all well. Stir in the drained beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and maple syrup, combining well.
Add the beef stock and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook over low heat for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally.
Serve hot, spooned into bowls with your favorite accompaniments. We like rice, cheese and cornbread!
.JPG "Best Chili Recipe")
The recipe made enough to feel all four of us generously plus I had enough to freeze for another day. What you are seeing here is actually the leftovers from yesterday and I have to say it tasted even better the next day!
But then again things like stews, soups and chilis often taste better after "ripening" overnight.
My brother-in-law had two helpings. I served it with brown rice, grated Tex Mex cheese and some homemade cornbread. I used my ex-mother-in-law's Corncake recipe. Its delicious!
.JPG "Best Chili Recipe")
I do have more than a few chili recipes posted to the blog. If beef is not your thing, you might enjoy this Turkey Chili recipe which is made with ground turkey.
Another favorite is White Chicken Chili. In fact, that is my favorite chili recipe of all. Rich and creamy.
Don't worry about leftovers. You will find that things like chili freeze very well. Just divide into airtight freezer containers and freeze. You can keep it for up to six months or so in the freezer.
Leftovers are also very nice when served over top of jacket potatoes, or mixed into cooked macaroni and cheese for a tasty midweek supper of Easy Chili Mac and Cheese. Trust me when I say it will all get used up!
Yield: 6
Best Chili Recipe
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 1 HourTotal time: 1 H & 15 M
This is actually a really delicious bowl full of red that deserves to be called the best!
Ingredients
- 1 TBS flavorless oil (I use light olive oil)
- 1 lb. (450g) lean ground beef/steak
- 1 medium onion, peeled and finely diced
- 1 TBS minced garlic
- 1 small green pepper, trimmed, deseeded and diced
- 1 (15 oz/420g) tins of dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 (15 oz/420g) tins of diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 (15 oz/420g) tin of tomato sauce/passata
- 3 TBS tomato paste
- 1 TBS maple syrup
- 3 TBS chili powder (North American, not UK type)
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp ground pepper
- 1 cup (240ml) beef stock
Instructions
- Add the chili powder, ground cumin, paprika, and garlic powder to a small dry skillet. Toast over moderate heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Set aside.
- Add the olive oil to a large saucepan. Add the onions and green pepper. Crumble in the beef. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes until the beef is browned and no longer pink. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds longer.
- Stir in the toasted spices, oregano and salt and pepper, combining all well.
- Stir in the drained beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and maple syrup, combining well.
- Add the beef stock and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook over low heat for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally.
- Serve hot, spooned into bowls with your favorite accompaniments. We like rice, cheese and cornbread!
Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Social Icons