In Which Karl Solves Pastry
My Wine 'n' Cheese Man™ sold me so very much oozy Gorgonzola Dolce that I was struggling to eat it all, so I thought I'd put some of it in a pie.
Now I like a steamed suet pudding as much as the next Yorkshireman, but I'm not soo keen on the stodginess of baked suet pastry, and being too lazy to go to all the trouble of blind-baking a shortcrust pastry so it doesn't go all limp and soggy, I thought someone should invent a new pastry.
One which is light and airy enough to rival shortcrust, but robust enough to crisp up even when filled with watery content.
And here it is!
Finally!
Karl's MAGIC™ Suet Shortcrust Pastry
ingredient
So I invented a new pastry. Or I think I did. Which deserves its own page!
And here it is!
The pastry swells and browns quite nicely, a bit like puff. And crisps well when filled without becoming soggy.
It's almost possible to soft-bake an egg in it!
And here it is!
The pastry swells and browns quite nicely, a bit like puff. And crisps well when filled without becoming soggy.
It's almost possible to soft-bake an egg in it!
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
- 600g self-raising flour
- 200g lard, diced
- 100g suet
- salt
- egg yolk loosened with a little milk for the wash
Flavour Options:- 2 tsps mustard powder
- handful of fresh herbs
- 1 tblsp dried herbs
- garlic
- citrus zest
- 200g hard cheese, grated
- spices
- toasted nuts
- seeds (sesame, cumin, fennel, caraway, etc)
Sift the flour into a bowl with a little salt.
Add any flavour options you fancy.
Add the suet, then cut in just enough ice cold water to bring the dough together into a ball.
To Make a Pie:
Separate about a third, make a flattened ball of each part, cover them in clingfilm and refrigerate for an hour or so.
Pre-heat the oven to Gas Mark 5.
Mix an egg yolk with a little milk to loosen.
Roll out the larger ball on a floured surface and line a baking dish.
Spoon in your chosen, cooled, filling.
Brush the pastry edges with the egg wash.
Roll out the smaller ball to cover, crimp the wetted edges and trim tidily with a knife.
Decorate with shapes cut from the spare pastry if you like, and make a couple of slits to let out the steam, then brush the top with egg wash and bake for about 45 minutes or until the pie is nicely browned and cooked through.
Add any flavour options you fancy.
You might want to add any fragile flavourings, like fresh herbs, at the end of the mixing.
Chop the chilled lard into small pieces and cut into the flour to make breadcrumbs without over-working it.Add the suet, then cut in just enough ice cold water to bring the dough together into a ball.
To Make a Pie:
Separate about a third, make a flattened ball of each part, cover them in clingfilm and refrigerate for an hour or so.
Pre-heat the oven to Gas Mark 5.
Mix an egg yolk with a little milk to loosen.
Roll out the larger ball on a floured surface and line a baking dish.
Spoon in your chosen, cooled, filling.
Brush the pastry edges with the egg wash.
Roll out the smaller ball to cover, crimp the wetted edges and trim tidily with a knife.
Decorate with shapes cut from the spare pastry if you like, and make a couple of slits to let out the steam, then brush the top with egg wash and bake for about 45 minutes or until the pie is nicely browned and cooked through.
Adjust the oven temperature as required to prevent burning or to speed things up.
Be sure to crimp the top onto the wetted walls of the base pretty firmly, or they will separate when baked. As mine did!
Give the top another couple of egg washes after the first 30 minutes for a glossy finish!
Be sure to crimp the top onto the wetted walls of the base pretty firmly, or they will separate when baked. As mine did!
Give the top another couple of egg washes after the first 30 minutes for a glossy finish!
Steak and Gorgonzola Pie
meat main
I thought I'd try my MAGIC™ Suet Shortcrust pastry with one-third suet and two-thirds lard.
I didn't bother blind baking it, but the bottom turned out crisped and well-cooked without being soggy.
Although I do rather like a soggy bottom myself!
In case you were wondering, the decoration on the pie was meant to be an impression of a beef's nose and horns, with steam slits for nostrils.
Unfortunately the horns were much too long to fit on the pie horizontally, so now it looks more like a mushroom and a couple of whale's jaw bones.
Ah well, I never claimed to be an artist.
I didn't bother blind baking it, but the bottom turned out crisped and well-cooked without being soggy.
Although I do rather like a soggy bottom myself!
In case you were wondering, the decoration on the pie was meant to be an impression of a beef's nose and horns, with steam slits for nostrils.
Unfortunately the horns were much too long to fit on the pie horizontally, so now it looks more like a mushroom and a couple of whale's jaw bones.
Ah well, I never claimed to be an artist.
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
- 1 kg beef chuck, shoulder or shin
- 5 tblsps flour
- 1 tblsp mustard powder
- pepper
- oil for frying
- 250g bacon lardons
- 2 carrots, chopped small
- 2 onions, chopped small
- 1 head garlic, pressed
- thyme
- bottle red wine
- 500ml beef stock
- handful parsley, roughly chopped
- 200g button mushrooms
- a dozen baby onions, peeled
- 250g gorgonzola, cubed
For the Pastry:- 600g self-raising flour
- 200g lard
- 100g suet
- 2 tsps mustard powder
- salt
Cut the beef into ½" chunks.
Shake in a bag or a bowl with the flour, mustard powder, ground pepper and a little salt.
Fry in batches over high heat in a little sunflower or rapeseed oil to brown nicely.
Transfer to a large pot.
Fry the bacon lardons until beginning to brown and add them to the pot.
Add more oil and fry the carrots and the onions until they begin to caramelise nicely.
Mince, purée, or crush a head of garlic or push it through a garlic press and add to the frying pan for a few minutes.
Deglaze the frying pan with red wine and bubble until reduced by half, then add the reduced wine and the stock to the pot.
Cook for two hours until the meat is tender.
Meanwhile heat a little oil over high heat and char the baby onions a little. Set aside.
to add to the pot about 15 minutes before finishing.
Add a knob of butter and fry the button mushrooms to give them colour, then add them to the pot. Simmer for another 15 minutes so there is very little sauce remaining, then stir in the parsley and the gorgonzola to melt it through.
Allow to cool.
Sift the flour into a bowl with the mustard powder and a little salt.
Cut the chilled lard into small pieces and cut into the flour to make breadcrumbs without over-working. Add the suet, then cut in just enough ice cold water to bring the dough together into a ball.
Separate about a third, make a flattened ball of each part, cover in clingfilm and refrigerate for an hour or so.
Pre-heat the oven to Gas Mark 5.
Mix an egg yolk with a little milk to loosen.
Roll out the larger ball on a floured surface and line a baking dish.
Fill with the cooled stew. Brush the edges with the egg wash.
Roll out the smaller ball to cover, crimp the wetted edges and trim tidily with a knife.
Decorate with shapes cut from the spare pastry if you like, make a couple of slits to let out the steam, then brush the top with egg wash and bake for about 45 minutes or until it is nicely browned and cooked through.
Adjust the oven temperature as required to prevent burning or speed up the cooking.
Give the top another couple of egg washes after the first 30 minutes.
Shake in a bag or a bowl with the flour, mustard powder, ground pepper and a little salt.
Fry in batches over high heat in a little sunflower or rapeseed oil to brown nicely.
Transfer to a large pot.
Fry the bacon lardons until beginning to brown and add them to the pot.
Add more oil and fry the carrots and the onions until they begin to caramelise nicely.
Mince, purée, or crush a head of garlic or push it through a garlic press and add to the frying pan for a few minutes.
If you halve a head of garlic and place the cloves a few at a time in the press with the cut sides against the mesh - you don't need to peel them.
The peel will magically remain in the press. Hopefully!
Decant everything to the pot.The peel will magically remain in the press. Hopefully!
Deglaze the frying pan with red wine and bubble until reduced by half, then add the reduced wine and the stock to the pot.
Cook for two hours until the meat is tender.
Meanwhile heat a little oil over high heat and char the baby onions a little. Set aside.
to add to the pot about 15 minutes before finishing.
Add a knob of butter and fry the button mushrooms to give them colour, then add them to the pot. Simmer for another 15 minutes so there is very little sauce remaining, then stir in the parsley and the gorgonzola to melt it through.
Allow to cool.
Other blue cheeses are available. And more-or-less as good.
Sift the flour into a bowl with the mustard powder and a little salt.
Cut the chilled lard into small pieces and cut into the flour to make breadcrumbs without over-working. Add the suet, then cut in just enough ice cold water to bring the dough together into a ball.
Separate about a third, make a flattened ball of each part, cover in clingfilm and refrigerate for an hour or so.
Pre-heat the oven to Gas Mark 5.
Mix an egg yolk with a little milk to loosen.
Roll out the larger ball on a floured surface and line a baking dish.
Fill with the cooled stew. Brush the edges with the egg wash.
Roll out the smaller ball to cover, crimp the wetted edges and trim tidily with a knife.
Decorate with shapes cut from the spare pastry if you like, make a couple of slits to let out the steam, then brush the top with egg wash and bake for about 45 minutes or until it is nicely browned and cooked through.
Adjust the oven temperature as required to prevent burning or speed up the cooking.
Give the top another couple of egg washes after the first 30 minutes.
Serve with gravy or creamed leeks,
celeriac and mustard mash,
and peas lubricated with a splash of cream. Or peas with a dab of cream cheese dressed with chopped mint.
Though on reflection the peas can be a little rich. How about mint and a splash of Forvm Chardonnay vinegar?
Or better yet, how about peas and a minty gastrique?
Celeriac and Mustard Mash
side veg
The addition of potato gives a smoother result than just celeriac which can be quite grainy. I had about 25%.
Add more potato if you prefer.
Add more potato if you prefer.
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 celeriac, peeled, chunked
- 2 small potatoes, chunked
- 2 tsps wholegrain mustard
- large knob butter
- 100ml double cream
- salt & pepper
Peel the celeriac and potato and cut into fairly large, even chunks.
Add the celeriac to boiling water, return to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the potatoes, return to the boil and simmer for another 10 minutes or until the vegetables are quite soft.
You may need to remove one or other of the vegetables early if they cook more quickly.
Drain them, then mash with butter and cream.
Add the celeriac to boiling water, return to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the potatoes, return to the boil and simmer for another 10 minutes or until the vegetables are quite soft.
You may need to remove one or other of the vegetables early if they cook more quickly.
Drain them, then mash with butter and cream.
You can use a blender if you want a smoother purée, but you may need to add more liquid.
Season and mix in the wholegrain mustard.
Pretty good mash.
Extra Leek Sauce
veg sauce experimental
I made up some creamed leeks the other day, and started thinking about how to make it into a smoother sauce.
So I boiled the leeks up with milk then blended that before whisking it into a roux.
But that didn't work: Insufficiently leeky.
Obviously the flavour needs to be concentrated beforehand, so I sweated the leeks in butter first, before blending with milk (and cream), then whisking into a roux, and that was better.
But it occurs to me that you might be able to juice the leeks and use their liquor for an even more concentrated sauce?
You can add spring onions or chives to the mixture too, by the way. And of course a touch of garlic.
Ground white pepper still seems to be the best flavouring (maybe epazote?), but I haven't tried adding cheese, or cream cheese to this sauce yet.
Might be overkill.
So I boiled the leeks up with milk then blended that before whisking it into a roux.
But that didn't work: Insufficiently leeky.
Obviously the flavour needs to be concentrated beforehand, so I sweated the leeks in butter first, before blending with milk (and cream), then whisking into a roux, and that was better.
But it occurs to me that you might be able to juice the leeks and use their liquor for an even more concentrated sauce?
Well, you can juice leeks and reduce the liquor to add to this sauce, but it's not terribly nice if I'm honest - a bit on the bitter side.
Also you can throw a small orange into the juicer with the leeks, which gives an interesting flavour twist, though it doesn't help at all with the bitterness.
Also you can throw a small orange into the juicer with the leeks, which gives an interesting flavour twist, though it doesn't help at all with the bitterness.
You can add spring onions or chives to the mixture too, by the way. And of course a touch of garlic.
Ground white pepper still seems to be the best flavouring (maybe epazote?), but I haven't tried adding cheese, or cream cheese to this sauce yet.
Might be overkill.
I'm unsure how to get more leek-flavour into the sauce without the bitterness that comes from juicing them?
Definitely a work in progress.
Definitely a work in progress.
Ingredients
- leeks, chopped
- milk/cream mixture
- leek juice
- butter
- flour
Optional Flavours:- ground white pepper
- spring onions
- garlic
- epazote
- chives
Sweat a large quantity of chopped leeks in butter until much reduced, then blend with enough cream and milk to make a sauce.
If you want you can try loosening the mixture with leek juice, straining, then using this to thicken and flavour a blond roux.
If you want you can try loosening the mixture with leek juice, straining, then using this to thicken and flavour a blond roux.
Throw in extra flavourings as you like.
Peas with Minted Chardonnay Gastrique
veg side
This is a bit tricky, but can be quite a tasty way of jazzing up some peas if you get it right.
Make sure the gastrique is quite thick. If it's too watery it will just turn the peas wet and disappointing.
Whisking butter in at the end helps.
Make sure the gastrique is quite thick. If it's too watery it will just turn the peas wet and disappointing.
Whisking butter in at the end helps.
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 1 tblsp honey
- water
- 1 tblsp Forvm chardonnay vinegar
- 1 tblsp mint, minced
- knob of butter
- 1 cup shelled peas
Dissolve the honey in a little water to get rid of any crystals
then cook it in a small pan until the water is boiled off and the honey begins to bubble and caramelize.
Once it has darkened to your liking add the vinegar and reduce until it becomes sticky.
Take off the heat and throw a knob of butter into the gastrique. stir to make a smooth sauce.
Shell the peas and boil them in salted water for a minute, then drain and dress them with the sauce.
Stir through finely minced mint leaves to serve.
Once it has darkened to your liking add the vinegar and reduce until it becomes sticky.
Take off the heat and throw a knob of butter into the gastrique. stir to make a smooth sauce.
Shell the peas and boil them in salted water for a minute, then drain and dress them with the sauce.
Stir through finely minced mint leaves to serve.
A work in progress. First tip: don't add the mint leaves until the peas have cooled slightly or they'll blacken.
Second: You might consider whisking some butter into the gastrique before dressing the peas.
Second: You might consider whisking some butter into the gastrique before dressing the peas.
Yep, the butter makes for a nicer, richer, dressing.
So maybe I didn't really invent it after all 😠