Kangaroo And Beer Pie With Damper Pastry Food

KANGAROO AND BEER PIE WITH DAMPER PASTRY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 190C.
• To make the damper pastry, combine flour baking powder and salt, then rub in the butter by hand.
• Or place flour, baking powder and salt in your food processor and pulse to sift, then add the butter, and process until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
• Add milk and mix (either by hand or in the processor) until the dough leaves the side of the bowl.
• Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile season the flour with salt and pepper and toss the kangaroo cubes gently to coat with the flour.
• Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan and brown the meat in batches, remove and set aside.
• Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add the meat, beer and stock and bring to the boil.
• Reduce heat, half cover pan and simmer for 90 minutes.
• Set aside to cool.
• Adjust seasoning, stir in the marjoram and transfer mixture to a pie dish or tin.
• Roll out damper pastry until 4mm thick and place over meat to form a secure lid.
• Press pastry edges down with fingertips to secure and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
• Pierce pastry with a knife four times then bake pie for 25-30 minutes until damper crust is golden brown.

BEEF & BEER PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Using a flameproof casserole dish with a lid, soften onion and celery in the butter. Stir in the flour until it has disappeared, then stir in the beef and Worcestershire sauce. Crumble in stock cubes and add thyme. Pour over ale, bring to a simmer, then cover and cook in the oven for 2½ hrs. Remove lid and cook for another 30 mins - this should thicken the sauce nicely.
• Increase oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. For the pastry, whizz the flour, suet and 1 tsp salt in a food processor until there are no suet lumps. Keeping the motor running, dribble in 1 tbsp water at a time until the pastry starts to come together, then tip onto a lightly floured surface and bring together with your hands.
• Roll out half the pastry and use to line a 20-22cm pie dish. Using a slotted spoon, spoon in all of the meat, then pour over some of the sauce until the meat is just coated. Put the rest of the sauce into a saucepan. Roll out the remaining pastry to cover the pie. Trim the edge with a small, sharp knife, then crimp or fork the edges to seal. Make a small heart from cuttings. Brush top of the pie and heart with beaten egg, then dip heart into poppy seeds and stick to top. Bake for 30-40 mins until golden brown and crisp. Reheat sauce and serve with the pie along with some mash and greens.