The Mini Book of Pies. Sophie Conran
clove garlic, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 stick celery, diced
1 tbsp plain flour
150ml (5fl oz) beef stock or just enough to cover the meat
150g (5oz) field mushrooms, sliced
1 handful fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE YORKSHIRE PUDDING LID:
150g (5oz) plain flour
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
300ml (10fl oz) milk
15g (½oz) lard
Place the cubed beef and bouquet garni in a large bowl and pour over the ale. Cover with cling film and refrigerate overnight. The next day, strain and dry the beef, reserving the ale and bouquet garni until needed.
Heat the oil over a high heat in a large pan. Quickly fry the beef in batches until browned all over, then set aside. Reduce the heat and gently fry the onion, garlic, carrots and celery for about 10 minutes. Stir in the flour, and continue frying and stirring for a further 5 minutes, making sure there are no lumps of flour.
Add the reserved ale and bouquet garni to the pan and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half. Then add the stock, browned meat and mushrooms to the pot. Simmer gently for 1½ hours, stirring occasionally to make sure the mixture is not burning or sticking to the pan. Discard the bouquet garni, then stir in the parsley and season to taste.
Meanwhile, make the Yorkshire pudding batter. Put the flour and salt in a large bowl, then whisk in the eggs one at a time. Add the milk, and whisk until you have a smooth batter. Strain the mixture through a sieve and chill for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F/Gas 7). To cook the Yorkshire pudding lid, heat the lard in the oven for 5 minutes in a tin the same size and shape as the top of the pie dish. Carefully pour the batter into the hot fat and cook in the oven for 30 minutes until risen and golden brown.
When ready to serve, simply pour the meat into a pie dish and top with the Yorkshire pudding lid before taking it to the table.
Serve with roast potatoes, Brussels sprouts and carrots.
Osso Bucco is one of my son Felix’s favourite dishes; one he likes me to make on his birthday!
OSSO BUCCO PIE
SERVES 4
FOR THE FILLING:
2 tbsp olive oil
4 large slices of beef shin or osso bucco with bones, approx. 2kg (4lb 8oz) in total (see tip)
1 tbsp plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
a knob of butter
1 large red onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 stick celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small glass white wine (about 150ml / 5fl oz)
400g (14oz) tin plum tomatoes
1 small wine glass beef stock (about 150ml / 5fl oz)
2 strips orange peel cut with a potato peeler
1 handful fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 egg, beaten
FOR THE PASTRY:
100g (3½oz) prepared suet, such as Atora
200g (7oz) self-raising flour
a large pinch of salt
4 tbsp very cold water
Heat the oil in a casserole big enough to take the meat all in one layer. Coat the osso bucco in the seasoned flour and fry over a medium-high heat, turning once, until lightly browned on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Reduce the heat, add the butter and gently fry the onion, carrots and celery for 10 minutes. Mix through the garlic and season. Fry for a couple more minutes and then pour in the wine. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to dislodge any flour sticking to the bottom. Simmer for 5 minutes. Throw in the tomatoes, stock and orange peel, giving the tomatoes a bit of a mash with your spoon. Return the meat to the pan, submerging it in the sauce. Leave the pot to simmer gently for 1½ hours, stirring from time to time. Add some water if it starts to dry out.
Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F/Gas 7). Meanwhile, make the pastry by mixing all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl, using your hands to mix in the water until you have a soft dough. Knead for a couple of minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. Cover with cling film and set aside.
When your meat is extremely tender and beginning to fall off the bone, lift it out of the sauce and put to one side to cool. Simmer the sauce for a further 15 minutes to thicken. Once the meat has cooled, cut it into large chunks and throw out any globby bits you don’t like the look of. Scoop the marrow from the centre of the bones and add to the sauce. Take the sauce off the heat and throw away the orange peel. Stir in the meat and parsley, taste and season again if necessary.
Fill an ovenproof dish with the mixture. Roll out the pastry so it is large enough to cover the pie. Brush the edges of the dish with a little of the beaten egg and cover with the pastry lid. Brush all over the top of the pastry with the egg, then press the edge of the pastry down with your thumb or the tines of a fork. Trim any excess pastry hanging over the edge using a sharp knife. Cut two holes in the top to let the steam escape, place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
I like to serve this pie with fried baby courgettes, or with young beetroot leaves.
This is a traditional British dish. My parents used to serve it at dinner parties and I thought it was very chic.
BEEF WELLINGTON
SERVES 6
1kg (2lb 4oz) beef fillet in one piece
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
100g (3½oz) butter
1 onion, finely chopped
250g (9oz) field mushrooms, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 handful fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped and stalks removed
2 tbsp brandy
2 tbsp double cream
375g (13oz) good-quality butter puff pastry
1 egg, beaten
Season the beef with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large pan over a high heat. As soon as it is hot, quickly fry the meat until browned all over. Remove the meat from the pan and set it aside on a plate. If you like rare meat, this is perfect; if you prefer it more cooked or it is a thick piece, then brown for longer.
Reduce the heat, add the butter to the pan and gently fry the onion for about 15 minutes or until soft. Add the mushrooms and garlic, and cook for a further 15 minutes, stirring from time to time. Stir through the parsley, and then pour in the brandy. Simmer for 5 minutes, then add the cream and stir it through. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the contents to cool. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F/Gas 7).
Roll out the pastry into a large sheet that is large enough to wrap the meat in. Spread the cooled mushroom mixture in a layer over the pastry, leaving about 3cm (1in) around the edge. Brush the edge with a little of the beaten egg. Place the meat in the middle