The Ultimate Steak And Kidney Pie Food

THE ULTIMATE MAKEOVER: STEAK & KIDNEY PIE

Steps:

• Cut out and discard the thin tubes from the kidneys. Rinse the kidneys in cold water until the water runs clear, then chop them into small pieces. Heat the oil in a large saucepan or deep sauté pan. Add the onions, bay and thyme sprigs and fry over a medium heat for 8-10 mins until the onions are really golden, stirring often. Put the kettle on.
• Add the steak and kidney to the pan and stir-fry briefly, just until it loses its pink colour. Turn up the heat, pour in the wine, stir to deglaze the bottom of the pan, then let it boil over a high heat for 2-3 mins until reduced and absorbed into the meat. Stir in the tomato purée and mustard powder. Sift in the flour, stirring, then stir for a couple of mins. Pour in 400ml boiling water and continue stirring until the mixture starts to boil and is thickened. Tip in the carrot and both mushrooms, reduce the heat, cover with a lid, then leave to simmer gently for about 1 hr, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid and simmer another 25-30 mins or until the meat is very tender and the gravy has thickened slightly.
• Remove from the heat and remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Stir in the parsley, season to taste, then transfer to a pie or ovenproof dish (22-23cm in diameter, 6cm deep, 1.7-litre capacity or similar), then leave to cool slightly. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• While the meat is cooling, make the pastry. Put the flour, and thyme if using, into a bowl. Grate in the cold or frozen butter, make a well in the centre, then add the yogurt, olive oil, a pinch of salt and a good grinding of black pepper. Using a round-bladed knife, mix together with 2 tsp cold water, then gently gather together with your hands to form a dough. Remove from the bowl and knead briefly until smooth.
• Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface so it's slightly bigger than the top of the pie dish. Lay the pastry over the meat and trim the edges with scissors so it slightly overhangs the edge of the dish. Make 2 small slits in the centre. Flute the edges, then roll out the trimmings and cut out 6 diamond-shaped leaves. Dampen one side and lay them on the pastry lid. Place the dish on a baking sheet, then bake in the oven for about 25 mins or until the pastry is golden.

A GOOD STEAK & KIDNEY PIE

Steps:

• It's important to cook the meat a day ahead, so that you can discard any fat that has risen to the top, and so that the pastry doesn't slump in the face of a too-warm filling, so up to 48 hours ahead -make the pastry. Whizz the flour and a pinch of fine sea salt together for a few seconds in a food processor, then add the butter and whizz until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs. Whisk together the egg yolk and 3 tbsp water and whizz with the pastry until it collects in a ball. Wrap in cling film and leave it to rest in the fridge for at least one hour.
• Cut button-mushroom-sized lobes of kidney from the white central core (discarding). Cut the beef into bite-sized cubes and cut the mushrooms into chunks.
• Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large, heavy frying pan over a medium-high heat. Throw in the kidney and fry until lightly coloured. Tip into a colander to drain.
• Wipe out the frying pan and return it to a low-medium heat, adding 25g/1oz of the butter and 1 tbsp oil. Tip in the onion and fry for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and slightly golden. Transfer to a large casserole, using a slotted spoon.
• Preheat the oven to 160C/gas 3/fan 140C. Tip the 85g/3oz flour into a large plastic bag, and season it generously. Throw in the beef and shake until lightly floured.Return the frying pan to a mediumhigh heat, adding a little more oil and butter if needed. Shake off any excess flour (reserving it) then fry the beef in batches until golden-brown. As each batch is done, transfer it to the casserole.
• Adding more oil and butter to the frying pan if necessary, fry the mushrooms for about 2 minutes until starting to wilt, then add them to the casserole with the drained kidneys, hot water, bouillon powder and bay leaf, plus the excess flour in the bag if you like a thick gravy. Stir well, cover and cook in the oven for 75-90 minutes until the meat is tender and the sauce is thick. Cool thoroughly, then put in the fridge (preferably overnight) so any fat will solidify - it can then be skimmed off and discarded.
• In the morning - return the pastry to cool room temperature, then roll it out thinly on a wellfloured surface. Invert a 28-30x23cm, 6.5cm deep pie dish on to the pastry. Mentally add an extra 1cm all round, then use the dish as a guide to cut out the pastry lid. From the remnants, cut out enough 6cm-wide strips of pastry to go round the dish - they should cover the flat rim and about halfway down the insides.
• Lightly butter the rim of the dish and line it with the strip(s) of pastry, sealing any joins with a little dab of water. Butter the shoulders of a pie raiser or an upturned egg cup and stand it in the middle. Spoon in the meat mixture to come level with the top of the dish. Don't overfill: reserve any excess gravy to serve hot with the pie.
• Brush the pastry rim with a little water, then drape the pastry lid over it, pinching the edges to seal. Cover with cling film and keep in the fridge if not baking immediately.
• Finally, an hour before serving - preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6/fan 180C. Make four slashes in the lid of the pie, then brush with the egg wash. Bake for 35-45 minutes until the pastry is golden brown, turning the heat down 10-20° after about 20 minutes. Remove the pie from the oven and leave it to rest for around 10 minutes before cutting into it.

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.

STEAK AND KIDNEY PIE

Steps:

• Prepare the pastry: In a large bowl, combine flour with butter and salt. Mix lightly with your fingertips until butter forms peasized pieces. Whisk together egg and 1 tablespoon of the water. Add to flour mixture all at once, mixing gently with your fingertips. You should be able to see chunks of fat, and the pastry should be moist enough to begin to stick together. If the pastry is too dry, add up to 2 more tablespoons of water.
• Turn the pastry out onto a lightly floured work surface, dust with flour, and knead it until the pastry is smooth, about 3 to 4 times. Transfer to a plastic bag and form pastry into a disk. Refrigerate a minimum of 30 minutes, or as long as 3 days.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a casserole or Dutch oven. Add the steak and kidneys, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until just browned, about 3 minutes. Remove to a plate and reserve. Add 1 more tablespoon of oil to casserole, and add mushroom quarters. Cook over high heat, stirring, until light brown. Reserve on plate with meat. Add the remaining oil to the casserole, and add onions. Cook until well browned, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir so that the juices soak up the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, about 1 to 2 minutes.
• Stir the Worcestershire sauce into the hot water, and pour over the hot onion mixture while whisking. Add the reserved meats and mushrooms, and any juices that have collected, and season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and simmer 3 to 4 minutes or until slightly thickened.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Roll out the pastry to a thickness of 1/4inch. Fill a 9inch pie dish with the steak and kidney mixture. Dampen the edges of the dish with water, then fit the pastry on top, pressing it down well all around the edge to seal. Make a steam hole in the center, brush the top with milk and sprinkle with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Bake for 25 minutes, or until pastry is golden.

ENGLISH STEAK AND KIDNEY PIE

Steps:

• Remove skin and coarse parts from kidneys if not already done.
• Wash in salted water.
• Mix 1 cup flour with salt and pepper to taste in a plastic bag.
• Cut kidneys into one-inch squares and place in bag with flour. Seal well and shake to dredge.
• Remove kidney and pound remaining seasoned flour into 3/4 lb. of round steak.
• Cut the round steak into one-inch pieces.
• heat oil in heavy skillet and brown beef cubes on all sides.
• Add onion and kidneys, cooking slowly until brown.
• Cover meat with hot water, add bay leaf, parsley and celery or celery tops.
• Cover tightly and simmer for 1 hour.
• Remove meat to deep baking dish.
• Add mushrooms and carrots.
• Mix 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoons flour with 1/2 cup cold water and add to skillet to thicken juices.
• Pour over the meat and vegetables and top with pastry crust.
• Bake in preheated 350F for 1 hour. Cover when pastry is golden to prevent over-browning.

STEAK AND KIDNEY PIE V

Steps:

• Chop up the onion quite roughly.
• Cut the bacon into thick matchsticks and the carrots into 1 cm-thick sections (quarter them if they are big). Heat half the dripping or oil in a casserole and when it is good and hot chuck in the bacon and vegetables.
• Stir, reduce the heat and leave to soften up nicely.
• Cut the beef into 2.5 - 4 cm pieces, discarding any obvious lumps of fat or gristle. Mix the flour , mustard powder, salt and pepper in a bowl.
• Roll the beef chunks through the mixture and then pop them into a heated frying pan in which you have heated the rest of the dripping/oil to smoking point. Make sure you brown the meat well.
• Transfer the browned pieces of beef into the casserole. While all this is going on, attend to the kidney.
• Cut away the inner core of fat and whatever, and cut the rest into bite-sized chunks.
• Then give it the flour/mustard/salt/pepper treatment and pop the kidneys into the hot frying pan.
• It doesn't matter if there isn't much fat left - just stir them around to prevent them sticking.
• After a couple of minutes or so add the kidneys to the casserole and stir everything around.
• Pour the stout into the frying pan and, over a gentle heat, scrape up all the gunge on the bottom of the pan then pour the whole lot into the casserole. The liquid should cover the meat so if it doesn't, take the lid off a second bottle of stout and top up.
• Bung in a couple of bay leaves, put on the lid and bring to a simmer.
• Take off the lid and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours until the meats are just tender but not disintegrating.
• The juice should have reduced and taken on a velvet glow by now and if it hasn't, move the meat and vegetables into the pie dish, turn up the heat under the casserole and reduce until you get the desired concentration and quality.
• Pour the juice over the meat, cover and set aside to cool down, preferably overnight. If you need to plough ahead, however, no matter.
• If you're using puff pastry, turn the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7; if shortcrust, to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
• Roll out the pastry of your choice and stick it on top of the mixture in the pie dish.
• Make a slit in the top to let out the steam, brush all over with a mixture of egg and milk beaten together and decorate with pastry ships or birds or leaves, if you must, and bake for 15 - 20 minutes.
• After that, and whichever type of pastry you are using, turn down the heat to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and c ook for another 15 - 20 minutes.