Veal and Mushroom Pie

Veal and Mushroom Pie

serves 6-8

Its been a while since I made this and I forgot how delicious it is, you can substitute the veal for beef just make sure that it is a cut of meat that is suitable for slow cooking.

Ingredients

1kg diced veal blade
3/4 cup plain flour
salt/pepper
1 onion diced
4 cloves garlic crushed
200g bacon lardons
400g mushrooms thickly sliced
2 tbs tomato paste
1 tbs brown sugar
400mls chicken stock
1 cup red wine
small bunch thyme
2 bay leaves
1 sheet puff pastry

Method

Season the flour with salt and pepper, and toss the meat in the flour to coat.
Heat a heavy based saucepan or pot that is oven proof add 2tbs of oil and fry the meat in batches, remove and set aside.
Add another 2tbs of oil to the pan and fry the onion, garlic and bacon for 5 minutes.
Add the mushrooms, cook for a further 5 minutes.
Add the stock and wine, scrapping all the bits that have stuck to the bottom, this adds flavour.
Add the tomato paste and sugar, return meat to the pan along with the herbs.
Place a lid or foil on top and transfer to a slow oven and cook for 1 1/2hours or until the meat is tender.
Allow the filling to cool.
Transfer the filling to a pie dish and top with the pastry.
Glaze the top of the pastry with a beaten egg and bake in a preheated oven 200c for 30 minutes.

 

Chicken, Leek and Mushroom Pie

This is good old comfort food, its a real family dinner.

Serves 6

Ingredients

3 large leeks washed and thinly sliced
4 cloves crushed garlic
600 gms boneless chicken thighs cut into 1 inch pieces
300 gms mixed mushrooms
2/3 cup plain flour
3/4 cup chicken stock
1/4 white wine
2 tbs fresh thyme
4 tbls finely chopped parsley
30 gms butter
2 tbs olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
400 gm puff pastry

Directions

Pre heat oven to 180c, heat a large pan add butter and oil and saute the chicken in batches until just brown, transfer to a plate. In the same pan add the leeks and garlic and saute for 7-10 minutes add the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes or until just soft. Add the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, add the wine and stock to create a thick sauce, add  the chicken back to the pan along with the thyme and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Allow the filling to cool before putting into a pie dish. Roll out the pastry to fit the top of your pie dish, place the pastry on top of the cooled filling, tucking in the edges, brush with beaten egg. Make three cuts in the pastry to allow the steam to escape bake in the oven for 40 minutes.

I serve this with a simple green salad