Homemade pies, lovingly crafted with care, evoke nostalgic memories of childhood, transporting us back to simpler times. The use of game meat, such as venison, elevates these culinary creations to an exceptional level, imbuing them with a unique and tantalizing flavor profile. The provenance of this particular venison pie recipe remains shrouded in mystery. It found its way to mum who meticulously collected and hand wrote her favorite recipes into a notebook, preserving them for posterity. This venison pie recipe, like countless others in her handwritten collection, stands as a testament to her discerning palate and the enduring love of homemade pies that binds New Zealanders together.
Ingredients:
800 grams of venison leg steaks cut into cubes
2 Tablespoons of oil (olive or avocado)
1 small onion chopped
3 cloves of garlic chopped finely
1 celery stalk chopped thinly
1 carrot chopped thinly
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup flour seasoned with salt & pepper (or use a good pinch of Herbalicious and a grind of cracked pepper)
1 can of beer (use your favourite)
1/2 cup red wine
200 grams savoury shortcrust pastry (store brought is fine)
200 grams puff pastry sheets (store brought is fine)
1 egg whisked with a dash of water to thin it
Instructions:
To create your filling:
Preheat your oven to 150 degrees
In a large frying pan head 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the onion, garlic, celery, carrot and thyme until the veges are soft and the onion is translucent.
Whilst the veges are slowly cooking, add the flour to a bowl and toss through the venison to coat.
Once the veges are cooked, remove from the frying pan and place in an oven proof casserole dish, leaving any oil remaining in the pan.
Add the butter to the pan with the remaining oil and in small batches brown the venison before adding it to the vege mix in the casserole dish. When dished, add the beer and wine to the casserole dish and cover. Cook for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the meat is cooked and tender. Once done, allow to cool completely before creating your pies.
To create your pies:
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees.
Line your pies tins with your shortcrust pastry.
4x 5cm deep x 12cm pie tins work well or whatever you choose.
Spoon the filling evenly into each pie tin.
Roll the puff pastry over the top of each pie and cut to shape. With a fork press around the edge of the puff pastry to seal the lid of the pie to the shortcrust pastry base and poke a couple of holes in the top to allow for steam to escape during baking.
Brush the top of the pies with you whisked egg mixture to that your pie has a golden top once baked. Bake for 25 minutes or until the pastry is puffed and golden.
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