Steak Stilton Pasties Food

STEAKS AND STILTON SAUCE

Steps:

• Thirty minutes before grilling the steaks, remove them from the refrigerator and allow them to come to room temperature. Heat a grill with coals.
• When the coals are hot, spread them out in the grill in one solid layer. Pat the steaks dry on both sides with paper towels and brush each side lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle them liberally with salt and pepper. Place the steaks on the hot grill and sear them on each side for 2 minutes, until browned. Place the lid on the grill and allow the steaks to cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, until they are cooked rare, or 120 degrees on a meat thermometer. (To test the steaks, insert the thermometer sideways to be sure you're actually testing the middle of the steak.) Remove the steaks from the grill, place them in one layer on a platter, and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Allow the steaks to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. Slice and serve warm with the Stilton Sauce.
• Place the Stilton in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and blend until finely minced. Add the cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, scallions, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Process until smooth. Serve at room temperature.

BEEF PASTIES WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS AND STILTON CHEESE

Steps:

• For crust:
• Blend both flours and salt in processor 5 seconds. Drop in shortening by tablespoonfuls. Cut in until coarsely diced. Add butter. Cut in until coarse meal forms. Transfer to bowl. Add 7 tablespoons ice water. Toss with fork until moist clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dry. Gather dough into ball; divide into 4 equal pieces. Shape each into disk; wrap and chill at least 45 minutes and up to 1 day.
• For filling:
• Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onions. Sauté until deep brown, reducing heat if necessary to avoid burning, about 30 minutes. Add wine and thyme. Simmer until liquid evaporates, stirring often, about 3 minutes.Season with salt and pepper. Cool. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
• Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 400°F. Roll out each dough disk between sheets of parchment paper to 9-inch round. Peel top parchment off each. Spread 1/4 of onion mixture on half of each round, leaving 1-inch plain border. Top onions with beef strips. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt over beef on each, then top each with 1/4 of cheese. Sprinkle with pepper. Brush dough border with some egg white. Using bottom parchment as aid, fold plain dough half over filling. Seal edges. Fold sealed edge over again; press with fork to double-seal.
• Brush each pasty with egg white. Cut 3 slits in each top crust. Divide pasties (still on parchment) between 2 large rimmed baking sheets.
• Bake pasties until crust is golden brown and filling is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; serve.

STEAK & STILTON PASTIES

Steps:

• Sweat the onions for at least 15 minutes in the olive oil until completely broken down and caramelising then set aside to cool thoroughly. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F Roll out the pastry to about 2mm and using a tea plate or a bowl cut out as many circles as you can making them five or more inches across. Spread a spoonful of the cooled onions into the centre of each disc leaving a border of about 1". Top the onions with a layer of chopped mushrooms. Next add a little stack of steak Season the meat with a good pinch of salt. Sprinkle the cheese on top of the meat and season with plenty of black pepper. Lightly brush the exposed pastry border with just enough egg or water to make it tacky but not slippery. Now fold the bottom edge of pastry over to the top and then crimp the border around the filling to make a pastie shape. Place the finished pastie, crimped side up, onto a baking sheet lined with greaseproof parchment, brush with the egg and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.

BRITISH OPEN TOP STEAK, ALE AND STILTON PUB STYLE PIES

Steps:

• Peel and chop the onions. Cut up the braising steak into small cubes.
• Heat some oil in a large and deep saucepan. Add the onions and sauté gently for about five minutes until soft.
• Add the meat and cook to seal.
• Add the flour and stir in to meat juices.
• Continue to cook to cook out the flour, adding the beer gradually to prevent sticking to the pan until all the beer has been added.
• Add beef stock cubes, salt and pepper to taste and stir until dissolved.
• Add water to thin down the gravy. The amount will vary according to how much juice has come out of the meat so add gradually until the right consistency is achieved.
• Add the English mustard and mix well.
• Once boiling reduce the heat, cover and simmer very gently for at least two hours.
• Allow to cool slightly.
• Pre-heat oven to 210C/425°F.
• Roll out the ready made shortcrust pastry and line 4 individual pie moulds with it - I used a Yorkshire pudding tin - the diameter of the moulds in the tin was 5" - or use individual aluminium pie containers.
• Line each pastry round with greaseproof paper and bake blind for about 5 - 10 minutes; using baking beans or heavy beans to keep the pastry flat.
• Remove the greaseproof paper and beans; divide the steak in ale mixture between the 4 pies.
• Mix the Stilton cheese into the ready-made and well seasoned mashed potato and pile on top of the steak and pastry bases.
• Place a knob of butter on top of each mashed potato topping and bake in the oven for about 10 - 15 minutes, or until the pastry is crisp and the potato and Stilton cheese topping is golden brown & bubbling.
• Serve with extra ale gravy if desired and seasonal vegetables - OR allow to cool, wrap and take on a picnic!
• You can prepare and part cook your Steak and Ale Pie on the one day and then complete the cooking on the following day which will allow the flavours to come out even more.
• Suggested Ales: Theakson's Old Peculiar; Old Speckled Hen; Hobgoblin Strong Dark Ale; Hooky Dark.

PENNE WITH GRIDDLED STEAK, STILTON & SHALLOTS

Steps:

• Boil the pasta. Meanwhile, heat the oil, add the shallots and gently fry until they are softened and lightly coloured. Remove from the frying pan with a slotted spoon.
• Increase the heat under the frying pan, season the steaks and fry on each side for 3-4 mins, depending on their thickness and how you like them cooked. Remove from the heat, transfer to a board and leave to rest for a few mins.
• Drain the pasta, return it to the pan with the shallots and stilton, then heat gently until the cheese starts to melt. Take the pan off the heat. Slice the steak and add to the pan with the watercress. Toss everything together and serve.