Puffed

This is one of those dishes that looks intimidating and labor intensive but really isn't.
I adapted this recipe that is in one of my Jamie Oliver cookbooks.
I thought I had everything to make it exactly as written but I was missing a couple of key ingredients ( like Guinness, mushrooms and raw cubed beef), so I just decided to use some leftover steak I had on hand and create my own version as I had already thawed the pastry.

I still plan on making the original however everyone thought my version turned out really good.

Deep Dish Beef Pie

• olive oil
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tablespoons of butter
• 2 carrots chopped
• 1 celery stalk chopped
• 1 pound of cooked cubed beef steak or roast
  
• 1 tbsp of rosemary
• salt and pepper
  
• 1 bottle of dark beer
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 cup of shredded old cheddar cheese
• 1 pkg of puff pastry thawed
• 1 beaten egg

Heat oven to 375F

In a deep dutch oven heat the olive oil and add the onion, carrot, garlic and celery.
Cook until slightly softened.
Add the beef, butter and seasonings and mix well .
Add the beer , stir in the flour and bring to a simmer.
Cover and place in the oven for 1 hour or until sauce is dark and thickened.
Remove and stir in 3/4 of the cheese. Let cool slightly.
Meanwhile divide the puff pastry into two pieces, one third and two thirds. roll out the pastry on a floured surface to make a bottom and top for the buttered casserole dish you are using for the pie.

Line the dish with the larger of the pastry so that the sides hang over the edge.
Pour in the stew and top with remaining cheese.
Place the other piece of pastry on top and fold over the hanging pastry on top twisting slightly.
Cut a crisscross design with a sharp knife and brush the top with the beaten egg.
Bake for 45 minutes until top is golden and puffy.

Wine Suggestion: Shiraz or dark beer


Cheers!

Vintage Fare

In a world full of cooking channels and millions of cookbooks, cuisine has come a long way over the years.
I will admit I love to try out new fads and cooking styles but at the end of the day I am still a fan of the classic recipes and cooking methods of many decades ago. Uncomplicated, traditional and wholesome.
A simple roast prime rib of beef is as traditional as it gets.
Although quality and cuts of meat have improved through the years. the method of cooking has hardly changed.

Yorkshire pudding is a bread type dish created in Yorkshire England in the 1700's.
It is made with the drippings from the roast.
I find that with today's leaner cuts I hardly have any fat drippings so I use butter instead.
It tastes just as good!

You can make a gravy or au jus by adding beef broth to the pan and scraping any bits off the bottom along with any drippings your roast produced.

Classic Prime Rib with Yorkshire Pudding

• 3 to 5 lb prime rib roast
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup of flour
• 1 cup of milk

Heat oven to 425F. Place roast standing on rib end in the roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper.
Place in the oven and cook for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile in a glass or ceramic dish melt the butter in the oven.
Mix the milk, eggs and flour in a bowl and then pour into dish with the butter.
After the 15 minutes for the roast, reduce heat to 250F. Cook for 15 to 20 min per pound.
Place the Yorkshire pudding in the oven 15 more minutes before roast is done.Raise oven temperature to 375. Bake until  the pudding is puffy and golden.


Wine Suggestion: Cabernet Sauvignon

Cheers!