Steak pie

Ingredients for short pastry:

200g plain flour
50g butter
50g lard
45ml water

Ingredients for steak filling:

200g stewing steak, cut into cubes
Plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper, for dusting.
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, sliced
1 tsp chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper.
1/4 pint hot beef stock

Method:

Start by preparing the pastry, sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl. And rub in the butter and lard.
Once the mixture is of breadcrumb consistency make a well in the middle and add your water a little bit at a time and work into a firm smooth dough. Wrap in clingfilm and set a side in the fridge for the butter and lard to solidify becoming better to work with.

Whilst your pastry is in the fridge dust the cubed steak with the seasoned flour.

Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan and fry the meat. Stirring frequently until brown on all sides.

Add the sliced onion, herbs, salt and ground black pepper and the stock, bring to the boil.

Reduce the heat and simmer gently for hour and a half.

Preheat the oven during this time to 190C/375F/Gas 5.

Remove pastry from fridge and roll out.

Transfer the filling into an ovenproof dish, line the rim of the dish with thin strip of pastry. Dampen the pastry rim by brushing with a beaten egg.

Cut a piece of pastry to fit across the top of the dish and place on top of the dish, pressing the edges together to seal. Decorate with pastry trimmings and make a steam hole in the centre of the pie by poking with a sharp knife. Then brush.over the pastry with beaten egg.

Place in the oven for 1-1&1/2 hours. If pastry begins to.colour too much in.that time.cover with foil.

Serve hot

Leek & Potato soup

Ingredients: 10 portions

1kg Washed and trimmed leeks

30g butter

2 litres of vegetable stock

Bouquet Garni

500g potatoes

Handful of chopped chives

Salt & pepper

Optional addition: whole cream

Method:

• firstly wash the leeks thoroughly as they tend to store a lot of ground soil within it.

•cut the White and light green into thin rings. Peel your potatoes and dice into small cubes. 

•creating a bouquet Garni: Blanche a decent size leaf (dark green) take a bay leaf or two, four to five peppercorns and a sprig of parsley wrap the blanched leek into a parcel and secure with a long piece of white string (enough to loop the string on the pan handle).

•Take a pan a slowly melt your butter, once this is accomplished throw in your leeks and  cook slowly until soft but without colouring.

•Add stock, bouquet Garni, potatoes and salt with salt and pepper.

• simmer until leeks and potatoes are cooked completely, approximately 15 minutes. 

• blend to desired consistency and serve.