Veal and Ham Pie

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                            FOOD FUNNY
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Thanks again to Rosemary Zwick for today's food funny:

The insurance adjustor noticed that nearly every bill from one
pediatrician's office included the line item "behavior modification
reinforcers." Fearing that the doctor was engaging in some
unapproved, experimental psychological treatment, she called
the pediatrician's office to inquire, "What on earth are behavior
modification reinforcers?"

"Lollipops," was the reply.

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                            TODAY'S RECIPE
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Here's a classic "stick to your ribs" meat pie to warm a cold New
England night.

Veal and Ham Pie

3 Tbs (45 ml) butter
3 Tbs (45 ml) all-purpose flour
1 cup (250 ml) chicken or beef stock
1/2 cup (125 ml) heavy cream
2 Tbs (30 ml) Madeira or sherry
A generous grating of fresh nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 1/2 lbs (675 g) boneless veal shoulder, trimmed of excess fat and cut
into 1-inch (2 cm) cubes
3/4 lb (340 g) cooked ham, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 lb (225 g) fresh mushrooms, stemmed and quartered
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup (60 ml) finely chopped fresh parsley
Pastry dough for a 9-inch (23 cm) pie crust
1 egg yolk, beaten

Heat the butter in a saucepan over moderate heat and cook
the flour, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the
stock, cream, optional Madeira, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, and remove from the heat.
Stir in the veal, ham, mushrooms, onion, and parsley. Pour
into an 8- to 9-inch (20 - 23 cm) pie plate and top with the
pastry, crimping the edges around the plate. Brush with
beaten egg yolk and cut a vent in the top of the crust. Bake
in a preheated 400F (200C) oven for 15 minutes. Reduce
the temperature to 350F (180C) and bake 60 to 75 minutes,
until crust is golden brown. Serve directly from the baking dish.
Serves 4 to 6.
Received on Wed Dec 29 00:37:00 2010