Mary Berry Steak Pie Food

THE CLASSIC STEAK AND KIDNEY PIE

Steps:

• Heat a large frying pan with a little of the dripping or oil. Season the diced beef with salt and pepper. Fry in the pan until well coloured and completely sealed. Life out the meat and transfer to a large saucepan. Add a touch more oil, if necessary, to the frying pan. Season the kidneys and also fry quickly to seal and colour in the hot pan. Also transfer to the saucepan.
• Melt a knob of butter in the pan and cook the onions and carrots in the melted butter for 2 - 3 minutes. They will lift any flavours left from the meats. Put into the saucepan with the meat. Fry the mushroom slices in a little more butter, just turning in the pan for a minute or two; keep to one side.
• Place the saucepan on medium heat, stirring in the flour, and allow it to cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomato puree, bay leaf and mushrooms. Pour in the stock and bring to a simmer, skimming off any impurities. The meat should just be covered with the stock; if not, top with a little more stock or water. Simmer gently, partially covered, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. During the cooking time it may need to be skimmed several times.
• After 1 1/2 hours, check the meat for tenderness. If not quite soft enough, cook for the additional 30 minutes. If the meat is cooking gently, it will not need to be topped up with any additional stock or water. The sauce will have reduced, thickening it's consistency and increasing it's flavour.
• Taste for seasoning, adding a dash or two of Worcestershire Sauce to the mixture. Transfer to a 2 pint pie dish and allow to cool to lukewarm.
• Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F.
• Roll the pastry 1/4-inch thick. Cut a strip of pastry to sit around the rim of the dish. This will help the top to stay on. Brush the rim of the pie dish with some beaten egg and apply the strip. Brush again with egg. Making sure the pastry top is bigger than the dish, sit it on top. Push down around the sides, trim and crimp for a neat finish. Brush completely with egg wash and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until golden brown.

MUM'S STEAK AND KIDNEY PLATE PIE

Steps:

• Begin by trimming the steak and cutting it into 1 inch (2.5 cm) cubes. Then trim the ox kidney and chop it minutely small. Keep the meat trimmings to make extra gravy to serve with the pie. Now, heat the dripping in the casserole. Dry the meat with kitchen paper and, when the fat is really hot, add a few cubes at a time to brown on all sides, removing them to a plate as they brown. After that, add all the pieces of kidney and after browning these remove them to join the steak. Now, keeping the heat high, fry the chopped onion for 6-7 minutes or until it's nicely browned at the edges. Then return all the meat to the casserole and stir in the flour to soak up all the juices. Next, add the thyme, followed by the Worcestershire sauce. Add a good seasoning of salt and pepper and then gradually stir in the stock and bring the whole lot to simmering point. Now put a lid on the casserole and place on the centre shelf of the oven for 2 hours. When the meat is cooked taste to check the seasoning and leave it to get cold. While the meat cooks you can get ahead and make the stock for the extra gravy. Simply place the meat trimmings in a medium-sized saucepan with half the onion, cover with 1 pint (570 ml) water, add some seasoning and simmer, covered, for approximately 1 hour. Then strain the stock and rinse the pan. To make the pastry, first of all sift the flour with the salt, holding the sieve up high to give it a good airing. Then add the butter and the lard and, using only your fingertips, lightly and gently rub the fat into the flour. When the mixture is crumbly, sprinkle in a tablespoon of cold water. Start to mix the pastry with a knife and finish with your hands, adding a few more drops of water if necessary for a smooth dough. Put the pastry in a polythene bag and place in the refrigerator to rest. Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 6, 400°F (200°C) and place a baking sheet on a high shelf to pre-heat as well. To make the pie, first cut the pastry in half and, on a lightly floured surface, thinly roll out one half into a circle approximately 11 in (28 cm) in diameter. Now transfer the circle, first rolling it over the pin and then over the base of the tin, and press it lightly and firmly around the base, sides and rim. Now take a sharp knife and trim the overlapping pastry and, after that, spoon in the filling. Now roll the remaining pastry out in the same way. Brush the rim of the base pastry with a little of the beaten egg and milk glaze and fit the other pastry circle on the top to form a lid. Press the edges firmly together, then trim off the excess and flute the edges. Finally, if you want to decorate the pie, gather up the trimmings and re-roll them to cut out leaf shapes. Either way, make a small hole in the centre the size of a 5p piece (to allow the steam to escape). Then brush the surface all over with the beaten egg and milk glaze. Now place the pie on the baking tray and bake for 10 minutes. After that, reduce the temperature to gas mark 4, 350°F (180°C) and cook for a further 40-45 minutes, or until it is piping hot and has turned a deep golden-brown. While the pie is cooking you can make the extra gravy by frying the remaining half onion, chopped small, in the beef dripping until soft and blackened at the edges. Next, stir in the flour and gradually add the stock little by little to make a smooth gravy, adding a spot of gravy browning if it's needed. Taste to check the seasoning and add a few drops of Worcestershire sauce. Let the pie relax for about 10 minutes before serving. I like new potatoes and chopped spring greens or purple sprouting broccoli to go with it.

CHICKEN AND BACON PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 160C/140C Fan/Gas 3.
• Put the chicken legs, celery and bay leaves into a large ovenproof saucepan, pour over the wine and stock and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bring to the boil on a medium-high heat, cover with a lid and transfer to the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the chicken legs are cooked and tender. Set aside to cool.
• Once cool, remove the meat from the chicken bones. The bones can be reserved and used for a stock. Break the meat into bite-sized pieces before transferring to a bowl. Strain the stock, reserving the celery and discarding the bay leaves, and measure out the liquid. You should have about 750ml/1 pint 6fl oz; if not, make up to this amount with a little extra stock or white wine.
• Heat a large frying pan and fry the bacon pieces on a medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Add the onion, cover with a lid and fry for a further 10 minutes until the onion is softened. Add the butter, stir until melted, and then sprinkle in the flour to make a roux. Pour the reserved liquid into the roux a little at a time, whisking as you add, and stir over a high heat until thickened to a smooth sauce consistency.
• Add a little salt and pepper, the reserved celery, crème fraiche and mustard and mix to combine before adding the chicken pieces. Spoon the filling into the ovenproof dish and level the top. Leave until cool and then chill, covered, in the fridge for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the pastry for the pie. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out each of the pastry sheets to about 3mm/⅛in thick. Cut each piece into long, thick ribbons, about 3cm/1¼in wide. You will need to make enough to cover the top of the dish, about 16 in total. Weave the ribbons together on a piece of baking paper, until you have a pastry top that is large enough to cover your pie. Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm up or, if time allows, freeze until solid.
• Take the filling out of the fridge and brush the edges of the dish with a little beaten egg. Carefully slide the pastry lattice from the baking paper and lay on top of the chilled filling. Trim the excess pastry around the rim and lightly press to seal.
• Increase the oven temperature to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Brush the pastry with the remaining beaten egg and bake for 30 minutes until the pastry is golden and cooked through, and the chicken is bubbling. Serve hot.

STEAK AND KIDNEY PIE

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a heavy-based saucepan and fry the onion over a medium heat until soft and just beginning to colour.
• Remove from the pan and set to one side.
• Add the salt and pepper to the flour and mix around to completely combine
• Place the steak in the flour and make sure all the meat is well coated in flour.
• Add the rest of the oil to the pan.
• Remove any excess flour from the meat by tapping two pieces together and place in the pan of hot oil to brown off on all sides, you may have to do this step in batches
• Remove the meat and set to one side.
• Toss the prepared kidneys in the same pan until browned off then remove these and set to one side
• Now you can brown off the mushrooms and return the steak, kidney and onion to the pan.
• Stir in any flout that is left from covering the meat and let it cook out for a minute or two keeping the mix agitated so as not to catch on the bottom of the pan.
• Gradually pour in the stock and add a few drops of Worcestershire sauce and the bay leaf.
• Stir well and bring up to a simmer.
• Cover and cook on a low heat for 1½ to 2 hours until the meat is tender and the sauce has thickened.
• You can check the seasoning here and add more if needed and remove the bay leaf
• Transfer the filling to your pie dish and leave to cool completely.
• While the meat is cooling make up the pastry

STEAK & MUSHROOM PIE

Steps:

• Cut steak into 3cm cubes and season. Heat 2tbsp of oil in frying pan and over a high heat fry meat till well browned all over. Do this in 2 batches to avoid 'steaming' meat add extra tbsp of oil if pan is dry. Place beef in casserole dish and toss it in flour.
• Heat oven to Gas 2 150C/130C fan. add 1 tbsp oil to pan and cook the onions and garlic over a medium heat for 5-10 mins until golden and soft then mix with beef in casserole dish. Deglaze pan with red wine (or water) and Worcestershire sauce and bring to boil whilst stirring and lifting any residue from the pan.
• Pour sauce over the beef add stock and bay leaf. Bring to boil on top of stove then cover with lid and cook in oven for 1.5 hours.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in frying pan and cook mushrooms for 5 mins until lightly browned, then add to beef and return casserole for another 30 mins (2-hr total). Remove from oven and cool.
• To make the pastry rub the butter into the flour with a generous pinch of salt and mix with fingertips until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in egg and water mixture, bring together to form a dough and knead very lightly. Divide the dough into 2/3'ds for base and 1/3'ds for the top. Roll into balls, flatten slightly, wrap each ball in cling film and chill for 20 mins. If preparing dish early in day (or day before) you can prepare to this point and store filling and dough in fridge until next day or when ready to assemble. Remember to bring dough to room temperature before rolling.
• Heat oven to gas 6 200C/180C fan. Roll out larger ball of pastry and use to line a greased 23cm (9") pie dish. HANDY TIP!! To avoid a soggy base, sprinkle the pastry base with a spoonful of semolina then spoon in beef, onions and mushrooms using a slotted spoon, adding just enough of the liquid to be "saucy." Save remaining sauce and gently reheat and serve with finished pie. Brush the pastry rim with a little beaten egg. Roll out the smaller ball of dough for the pie top and gently lay it over the filling. Use a sharp knife to trim any overhanging pastry (you can use surplus to decorate top of pie). Crimp edges with fingers or fork, brush with beaten egg to glaze. Bake in oven for 30 mins until pie is golden brown and filling is piping hot. Serve with heated gravy.

MARY BERRY'S FILLET STEAK WITH PEPPERCORN SAUCE

Steps:

• 1. Place the steaks between two pieces of cling film and flatten with your hand to about 5mm (½in) thick. Spread the butter over the steaks on both sides and season well with salt and pepper. 2. Heat a large non-stick frying pan or griddle pan until hot, add the steaks and fry over a high heat for 2 minutes on each side (see tip). Lift out to rest and keep warm, loosely covered in foil. 3. Pour the stock into the pan (no need to clean it first) and boil to reduce by half, then add the garlic, brandy, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, cream and crushed black peppercorns. Stir together as you bring to the boil over a high heat. Season with salt and allow the sauce to bubble away for a couple of minutes to reduce slightly - the consistency should be the thickness of pouring cream. Stir in the parsley and remove from the heat. 4. Spoon the sauce over the steaks, sprinkle with a little more parsley and serve with sauté potatoes and a green vegetable. PREPARE AHEAD: The steaks can be fried ahead and, once cooled, kept covered in the fridge for up to 12 hours. Top with a knob of butter and reheat on a baking sheet in a hot oven for 6 minutes. Serve at once. The sauce can be made up to a day ahead and reheated. MARY'S EVERYDAY TIPS: Rib-eye steak would also work well for this recipe. Keep your peppercorns chunky if you like some texture to the sauce. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side (depending on thickness) for steaks that are more well done.

HAIRY BIKERS' STEAK AND ALE PIE RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 220°C/428°F/Gas Mark 7.
• Pour flour into a bowl and season well. Coat the meat with the seasoned flour.
• Heat half the butter in a heated pan and add the meat. Sear all over until golden brown.
• Add the vegetables, herbs, ale and stock. Bring to a simmer, then cover with a lid and gently simmer for 1 hr. When cooked, season, add the remaining butter and pour into an ovenproof serving dish.
• Brush the edge of the dish with the beaten egg. Roll out the pastry using as little flour as possible and place over the dish. Pinch the edges of the dish so that the pastry will stick to it and trim off any remaining pieces of pastry from around the edge. Brush the pastry top thoroughly with the remaining beaten egg and place on a baking tray.
• Bake in the oven for 20-30 mins until the pastry is golden brown on top.