British Cooking

Here's those recipes I was chatting about in guild tonight! (from Great British Cooking: A Well Kept Secret by Jane Garmey)

Steak and Kidney Pie

Meat Filling:

One large onion, coursely chopped

3 ounces butter

1and 1/4 Pounds lean chuck beef cut into 1-in cubes

1/2 pound kidneys, cut into 1/2-in pieces

1/3 cup flour, seasoned with salt and pepper

1 &1/2 cups mushrooms, quartered

1 Tbs parsley

1 bayleaf

Salt

Black pepper

1 Tbs Worcestershire Sauce

1 &1/2 cups Meat Stock

2 Tbs tomato puree

Pastry:

2 &1/4 cups flour

1/4 tps salt

3 ounces unsalted butter

4 ounces lard

1 Tbs confectioner's sugar

1 egg yolk

3 tbs cold water

Milk and beaten egg to brush pastry with

Fry the onion in the butter until it is browned.  Set aside.

Remove any fat or grisltle from the steak and kidneys and toss them in th eseasoned flour.  Saute' lightly in the butter and transfer to a casserole.  Fry the mushrooms for two minutes and add them and the onions to the meat.  Add the parsley, bayleaf and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper. 

To prepare the pastry: Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Cut the butter and lard into small pieces and mix them into the flour with the blade of a knife until they are well coated.  Using your fingertips, rub in the fat until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.  Stir in the sugar.  Mix quickly with a palette knife until it forms a dough.  Knead the pastry lightly until it is smooth and has no cracks.  Wrap it in waxed paper and chill in the refrigerator for 30 min.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Divide the pastry into two halves and roll out one half to about 1/4in thickness,  Use it to line a deep 9'' pie dish.  Place the meat filling on top of the pastry and roll out the remaining pastry to make a cover.

Brush a little water over the rim of the pastry case before placing the pastry cover over it.  Press down the edges with a fork.

Use the left over trimmings to make decorative leaves if desired.

Make a hole in the center of the pie to let out the steam while it cooks.  Brush the pastry with a little milk and beaten egg.

Bake at 450 degrees for 20 min , then reduce the heat to 325 degrees abd continue to cook the pie for another 30 min.