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.

MARY BERRY'S THYME BAVETTE STEAK WITH POTATOES AND WILTED SPINACH

Steps:

• Place the steaks on a board and trim any excess membrane. If the steaks are not even in thickness, cover with cling film or baking paper and bash with a rolling pin until they are. Measure the marinade ingredients into a bowl and mix well. Season with salt and black pepper, add the steaks and turn in the marinade to coat. Leave to marinate for about 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/Gas 7. Place the potatoes, onions and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a single layer in a large roasting tin. Season and toss together. Roast in the oven for about 25 minutes, or until the potatoes are lightly golden. Mix the crushed garlic and thyme together in a small bowl and sprinkle over the potatoes and onions. Push them to one end of the tin and place the tomatoes cut side up on the other. Drizzle the tomatoes with the remaining oil and the balsamic glaze. Return to the oven for 8 minutes, or until the tomatoes are just soft. Meanwhile, heat a large frying or griddle pan until very hot. Add the steaks and fry for 1-2 minutes on each side. Spoon the excess marinade over each steak before turning. Transfer to a warm plate to rest for a few minutes. Scrape any black pieces from the pan and discard. While the steak is resting, add the butter to the pan and toss in the spinach leaves. Cook over a high heat for a few minutes until wilted. Season the spinach and spoon into the centre of a long platter. Slice the steak into long strips and arrange on one side. Spoon the potatoes and tomatoes on the other and serve. Mary's tips: Best made and served. The steak can be marinated up to 8 hours ahead. Not for freezing. Balsamic glaze is slightly thicker than balsamic vinegar so clings to the tomatoes.

MARY BERRY'S FISH PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven 200C/400°F Grease a shallow 2.5 litre with butter.
• Melt the butter in a pan on a high heat and fry onion for few minutes.
• Lower the heat, cover and leave to soften for 15 minutes.
• Remove the lid and increase the heat to remove any moisture. Sprinkle in the flour and then add the milk gradually, stirring well and allowing the sauce to thicken until all the milk has been added.
• Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, add lemon juice and the raw fish and cook for couple of minutes, stirring continuously until the fish has just cooked. Stir in the smoked haddock. Pour the mixture into the buttered dish and leave to cool. Top with the hard-boiled eggs.
• For the topping, boil the potatoes in a pan of salted water until tender. Drain, tip the potatoes back into the pan, add milk and butter and mash until lump-free. Use a ricer to get smooth mash. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
• Spread the mash over the top of the sauce and fish in the dish and score with a fork.
• Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until the potato is crisp and golden-brown.