Part 10 (1/2)
Raised game pie Shepherd's pie Deep-dish chicken pie Smoked salmon and horseradish cream tartlets Fish pie with oysters and scallops Spinach, feta, and pine nut tart Crab and tarragon tart Artichoke, asparagus, and ham quiche Lemon, leek, and Dolcelatte tart Wild mushroom tart with Parmesan and walnut pastry
Raised game pie An old-fas.h.i.+oned British ”raised” pie has a deep case made from a strong, hot-water pastry (sometimes called ”short flake” in the U.S.). A pie like this is perfect sustenance for a day out hunting or mushroom-picking. I've made individual pies, but you could also make a large one to share (bake for an extra 1015 minutes). You'll need to plan ahead, because the finished pies have to set overnight.
MAKES 4 4 INDIVIDUAL PIES INDIVIDUAL PIES.
Hot-water-crust pastry: 12/3 cups all-purpose flour cups all-purpose flour teaspoon fine sea salt 1 extra-large egg 3 tablespoons unsalted b.u.t.ter 3 tablespoons lard 1/3 cup water cup water Pie filling: 8 ounces boneless loin of venison 5 ounces boneless partridge, pheasant, or guinea fowl b.r.e.a.s.t.s 2 ounces thick-sliced lean bacon, fat trimmed, chopped 7 ounces fresh bulk pork or venison sausage 1 tablespoon each chopped fresh parsley and sage grated zest of 1 lemon 5 juniper berries, finely ground with a pinch of sea salt 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash For serving: pickled onions (see Chapter 6) piccalilli (see Chapter 6)
Begin by making the pastry. Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl and make a well in the middle. Crack the egg into the well and sprinkle some of the flour over the egg to cover it. Put the b.u.t.ter, lard, and water in a small pan and heat gently. Once the b.u.t.ter and lard have melted, increase the heat and bring to a boil.
Pour the boiling water and fat around the edge of the bowl and quickly stir everything together using a table knife. Knead the dough lightly until smooth. It will be quite soft at this stage. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until the pastry is firm, at least 1 hour.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Trim the game meat of any fat or sinew, then cut into -inch cubes. Mix with the bacon, sausage, herbs, lemon zest, and crushed juniper berries and season with salt and pepper. Divide the mixture into four equal portions and roll into b.a.l.l.s.
Cut off one-third of the pastry for making the pie lids. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Roll out the remaining pastry on a lightly floured work surface to about 1 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out four 5-inch-diameter circles. Roll out the reserved pastry to the same thickness, and cut out four 2-inch-diameter circles for the lids.
Place a stuffing ball in the middle of each pastry base and place a lid on top. Brush the border of the pastry base with the egg wash, then mold it up and around the filling to meet the lid. Curl the edge of the lid up to meet the top inside edge of the pie case and pinch together to seal. Repeat to make the other three pies. Crimp the edges to decorate. Refrigerate until the pastry feels firm.
Preheat the oven to 375F. Make a neat steam hole in the center of each pie lid with a small knife. Bake the pies for 15 minutes. Remove them from the oven and brush evenly with the remaining egg wash. Reduce the oven temperature to 325F and bake until the pastry is cooked and the center of the pie is hot, 2030 minutes longer. To test, insert a metal skewer into the center of a pie for a few seconds, then feel it against your hand or lip: It should feel hot to the touch. Let the pies cool on a wire rack. Serve cold, with pickled onions and piccalilli.
Shepherd's pie A traditional shepherd's pie is made with ground lamb, while the similar cottage pie is made with beef. Both freeze well (add 1015 minutes to the cooking time if baking from frozen). A little bit of Branston Pickle enhances the flavor of the lamb in this recipe.
SERVES 4.
1 pound lean ground lamb 23 tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion, minced 1 large carrot, minced 2 garlic cloves, chopped 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 cup red wine 1 cups chicken stock (see Chapter 9) 1 tablespoons Worcesters.h.i.+re sauce leaves from a handful of fresh thyme sprigs leaves from a sprig of fresh rosemary, chopped 2 tablespoons minced Branston Pickle Topping: 1 pounds baking potatoes, cut into chunks 3 tablespoons b.u.t.ter 2 tablespoons hot milk 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan 2 extra-large egg yolks
Put a wide, cast-iron or other heavy-based pan over medium to high heat. Season the ground lamb with salt and pepper and fry in a thin layer of oil until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. (Fry the meat in two batches if necessary.) Transfer the lamb to a bowl using a slotted spoon.
Add a little more olive oil to the pan and stir in the onion, carrot, and garlic. Fry, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are golden brown, 45 minutes. Add the flour and tomato paste and stir for a couple of minutes longer. Pour in the red wine and sc.r.a.pe the bottom of the pan to dislodge the browned sediment. Let the wine boil until it has almost all evaporated and the pan is quite dry.
Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Return the lamb to the pan and add the Worcesters.h.i.+re sauce and herbs. Turn the heat to the lowest setting and partially cover the pan. Simmer, stirring every once in a while, until the lamb is tender and the sauce has thickened, 3040 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until tender when pierced with a small knife, 1520 minutes. Drain well, then return to the hot pan over low heat to dry out briefly. Press the potatoes through a potato ricer into a large bowl. Mix in the b.u.t.ter, hot milk, and 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan. Season well to taste, then beat in the egg yolks and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350F. Fold the minced Branston Pickle through the lamb mixture, then pour into an 8-cup baking dish. Spoon the mashed potato generously on top of the lamb filling, starting from the outside and working your way into the middle. Fluff up the mashed potato with a fork to make rough peaks. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and grind a little black pepper over the top. Bake until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling up around the sides, 2025 minutes. Serve with extra Branston Pickle, if you wish.
Deep-dish chicken pie No other food makes me quite as enjoyably nostalgic as a good homemade chicken pie. When we were young, my mother used to make a wonderful chicken pie from scratch-pastry, chicken stock, and everything-with whatever little time she had. Here is my version of this ultimate comfort food.
SERVES 4 4.
3 cups chicken stock (see Chapter 9) leaves from a sprig of fresh thyme 3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, about 1 pounds in total 10 ounces boiling onions or shallots, peeled 7 ounces b.u.t.ton mushrooms, cleaned 2 tablespoons b.u.t.ter 1/3 cup all-purpose flour cup all-purpose flour cup heavy cream 1 pound, or 1 recipe, basic short pastry (see Chapter 9) 2 extra-large egg yolks, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash coa.r.s.e sea salt for sprinkling
Bring the stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Add the thyme leaves, then poach the chicken b.r.e.a.s.t.s until just firm and cooked through, 1012 minutes. With a pair of kitchen tongs, transfer the poached chicken to a plate and let cool.