Steak and Kidney Pie

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             FOOD FUNNY
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Thanks to Rosemary Zwick for this one:

There was an old man whose only son was in prison and there was no one
to dig up the garden for the potato planting. So he wrote to his son,
asking what he should do. The son replied, "For heaven's sake, don't dig
up the garden. That's where I buried the guns."

At 3 A.M. the next night a dozen soldiers turned up and spent hours
overturning the garden. "Now what do I do?" asked the father.

"Now you plant the potatoes," the son wrote back.

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             TODAY'S RECIPE
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This classic English dish is one of my favorite things to eat. You may
have to special order the kidneys from your local supermarket, or if you
find the thought of eating kidneys off-putting, then you can eliminate
them entirely and increase the amount of beef to compensate. If you do
decide to forgo the kidneys, be warned that you'll be missing out on a
very special treat. As for the crust, puff pastry is often used these
days, but I think of standard pastry dough when I picture the
traditional dish. Use whichever you prefer.

Steak and Kidney Pie

1 1/2 lbs (675 g) lean boneless sirloin or top round steak, trimmed of fat and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
1 lb (450 g) veal kidneys, trimmed of fat and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup (60 ml) all-purpose flour
3 Tbs (45 ml) butter
1 Tbs (15 ml) vegetable oil
1 cup (250 ml) thinly sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup (125 ml) coarsely chopped onions
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) water
1/4 cup (60 ml) pale dry sherry or dry red wine (optional)
2 Tbs (30 ml) Cognac or other brandy (optional)
1 Tbs (15 ml) finely chopped parsley
1/4 tsp (1 ml) dried thyme
1 tsp (5 ml) Worcestershire sauce
Puff pastry dough (use a pre-made puff pastry dough, or your own
favorite pie crust recipe)
1 egg yolk combined with 1 Tbs (15 ml) heavy cream

Pat the cubes of beef and kidney dry with paper towels. In a plastic or
paper bag combine the flour, salt, and pepper, and toss the steak and
kidneys in the flour mixture to coat lightly but thoroughly. Heat the
butter and vegetable oil in a heavy skillet over high heat until it is
splutters. Add the cubes of meat and stir frequently, until they are
browned on all sides. Using a slotted spoon transfer the meat to a heavy
2-quart (2 L) casserole about 4 inches (10 cm) deep. Add the mushrooms
and the chopped onions to the skillet and cook over high heat, stirring
constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer these to the casserole. Pour
the water into the skillet and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom and
the sides of the pan to dissolve all the "brown bits." Pour this liquid
into the casserole, and add the sherry or wine, brandy, parsley, thyme,
and Worcestershire sauce. Stir together gently.
  
On a lightly floured surface roll the pastry dough into a rectangle
about 1/4 inch (5 mm) thick, and cut 2 strips about 12 inches long by
1/2 inch wide (30 x 2 cm). Lay the strips end-to-end around the rim of
the casserole and press firmly into place. Moisten the dough around the
rim with a pastry brush dipped in water. Drape the remaining dough over
the rolling pin and gently drape it over the casserole. Using a small
knife or scissors, trim off the excess pastry and secure the edges to
the rim by crimping tightly with your fingers or the tines of a fork.
Reroll the scraps of pastry and cut them into simple flower or leaf
shapes and apply to the top of the pie. Make three or four slits in the
top of the pie with a sharp knife and paint the surface of the pie with
the egg yolk and cream mixture. Bake in a preheated 425F (220C) oven for
30 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350F (180C) for an additional 30
minutes, until the crust is golden brown. Serve immediately, directly
from the baking dish.
Serves 4 to 6.
Received on Mon Feb 16 21:30:07 2009