Pie is one of those suggestible foods.
Once mentioned, it worms itself into my brain and won’t come out until I finally get my fill of it.
That’s what happened when Lorraine posted about The Pie Tin in Newtown a couple of weeks ago. Pete and I went there for lunch the following day, but that wasn’t enough to satisfy my cravings.
So when I uncovered a bag of ice-encrusted steak in the freezer, I decided to make mystery meat pie for dinner. It was a big hit with the boys, and a great way to use up bits and pieces in the fridge.
I think the slightly freezer-burnt steaks were Angus rump, but as I’m a bit sloppy with both packaging and labeling, I can’t be completely sure. I also had an onion, some leftover capsicum strips from the dinner before, a handful of Swiss brown mushrooms, and a couple of cloves of garlic…
From the garden, I brought in a couple of kohlrabi and a few sticks of young celery, as well as a sprig each of rosemary and thyme. The meat was cut into large chunks, and the vegetables peeled (as required) and chopped…
In my Emile Henry risotto pot, the meat was browned in a little oil, then set aside. The vegetables were fried briefly, and then the meat was returned to the pan, along with the rosemary and thyme leaves (stripped from their stalks), a half can of Guinness beer, some homemade beef stock, a tin of baby Roma tomatoes and a generous seasoning of salt and pepper. The pot was covered and brought to a simmer, then baked in a preheated 175C (with fan) oven for approximately two and a half hours.
Halfway through the cooking time, I uncovered the pot to allow the sauce to reduce. After removing from the oven, a cornflour slurry (cornflour in a little cold water) was added to thicken the sauce further.
The chunks of meat were fork tender by this stage, so I removed the pieces, shredded them, and returned the meat to the sauce. This was then ladled into a pie dish…
…and topped with pastry…
Pâte Brisée
- 170g cold unsalted butter
- 320g plain (all-purpose) flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2+ tablespoons cold water
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt, then rub in the butter. Add the water as needed to form a workable dough – the amount needed will vary depending on the ambient temperature and the moisture content of the flour and butter.
The pie was brushed with a beaten egg and baked in a preheated 200C (with fan) oven for about 20 minutes, until golden brown.
My hungry wolves loved this, particularly Pete. And I’ve finally sated my craving – at least until the next time someone mentions pie!
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
It looks spectacular, you’ve made me hungry and I just ate lunch!
Cindy, thank you! I’m glad you liked it! :)
I’ll take a savory pie over a sweet one any day! And good for using…cleaning out the refrigerator to make this delicious dish.
Thanks Joan – I’ll always choose a savoury pie over a sweet one too!
Isn’t it surprising (or perhaps it isn’t!) that things like this – made with just what you have available – are tastier than following a recipe. The downside is that you’ll never repeat it exactly.
Suelle, that’s why I wrote the post! I remember thinking I’d never be able to do the same thing again if I didn’t. But you’re right, of course, the likelihood of having exactly the same mix of veg in the fridge and garden again is small! :)
I think the savory meat looks perfect on its own as a stew… yummy recipe!
Thank you – I was actually tempted to serve the stew without a top, but I’d already set my heart (and stomach) on pie, so I kept going.. :)
Absolutely wonderful pie Celia. Always such a comfort food.
Have a super weekend.
:-) Mandy
Thanks Mandy, hope your weekend is going well to! :)
A fine pie indeed – Guinness, beef and all the other delicious flavours and a proper pie dish – who could ask for more? Except maybe another one next week :)
Darling, thank you for noticing my pie dish. I’m very pleased to have found it – I saw one on River Cottage Everyday and went out looking for it. It’s actually for camping, I think, and quite lightweight – enameled tin, or something like that. It makes the perfect sized pie for the four of us! :)
This mystery pie of yours is looking most delicious! I love a good pie and have to agree with Joanna about the Guinness – it adds so much ‘oomph’, don’t you think? Great to use up ingredients from the garden too, I bet the men of your house gobbled it up in no time flat!
Chris, thank you, and there’s always some Guinness here, although no-one drinks it – I use it in stews and chocolate cakes! :)
Do you grow kohlrabi? We’re eating it all the time lately, as it’s growing all over the yard!
Nope! No kohlrabi here..would love to try growing some one day. We do however, have plenty of home brew stout in the cupboard which I use in place of Guinness. Like you, I bake with it..hubby drinks it, it’s a good combination ;)
Chris, it’s the easiest thing to grow – we broadcast seed, and feed the thinnings to the chooks, who love them!
I’m a hungry wolf! Feed me :) There is something so satisfying about a pie.
I would love to feed you, Sally! I’d open a really good bottle of red too, if you were here! :)
Oh my! My mouth is watering already. Good job we don’t have “smell blogs” (as of right now !!) I just love your blog, please do not go away anytime soon, ok?
Linda, that’s very sweet of you, thank you! I’m not going anywhere… ;-)
I actually really like the idea of a mystery pie! Within reason of course but this looks perfectly delicious :) And thank you for the lovely mention! :D
Lorraine, the Pie Tin was a great feed, but my pie cravings can run very deep… :)
Oh, now I want pie too – it must be contagious! It looks truly fabulous Celia. Mind you, at least with the cold weather here I can justify pie to myself :-)
C, I reckon you could make pie for one and freeze the leftover pastry for next time! Stay warm! :)
We occasionally have “freezer surprise” meals as I’m quite slack with labelling freezer bags too. These are not always successful, but I hadn’t thought of making a pie out of some of the mystery meats and I do think a nice pastry lid can lift a meal up to the next level. Thanks for the tip, Celia.
Amanda, I think a pie top could disguise a myriad of ordinariness! :)
I’m determined to label whats in my freezer properly…next year. Just need to work out what I’m using now though!
Now pie, I totally agree. It’s one of those things that the mere mention and it just doesn’t go out of my head until it’s in my belly, and seeing as though you have just done that dear Celia. I now must have PIE… surely something in my freezer resembles pastry…
Brydie love, I’m sorry, it’s not fair to do that to a pregnant woman! :) But I hope you get some pie soon… :)
Celia this looks amazing! I love the real shredded beef in there.
I’m glad there are other people who are lapse about labeling. At the time I always thing ‘oh I’ll remember what that is.’
Claire, thank you – I was pleased at how well the mystery meat turned out! It was sooo tender! I do exactly the same thing – “I won’t forget what that is…”
I once got caught out defrosting fish guts that I’d frozen to throw out on rubbish night and forgotten about.. ;-)
oh..i love the look of your pie celia..it’s one of my favourite things to make and it’s quite cold in melbourne today so it’s perfect pie weather here!
Jane, isn’t this funny weather we’re having? It’s late Spring, and it’s raining outside today – last night it was too hot to sleep under a blanket! Hope Melbourne warms up for you soon! x
And did you smother it in that Great Australian Equalizer, tomato sauce?
Cosmo, I offered, but no-one wanted any! It was homemade tomato sauce too!
I’ve been craving apple pie and the Boy has been asking for meat pies. So I’m inspired!
Maz.
Oooh, pie week at the Toymaker’s, I can see it now.. ;-)
Mmmm Pie, just love it. We whip them up at my house with anything to hand
Tania, we really should do it more – you’re right, you can use almost any filling in a pie! I draw the line though at a recipe I saw in a magazine once, which suggested filling pies with leftover Thai takeaway! ;-)
Waw, Celia! Your stew looks amazing, tasty & so appetizing too!
Maybe it is in your advantige that you didn’t label the meat because you can create even more creative dishes like this one! hahahahaha!
Sophie, I went rummaging through the freezer looking for more last night, but everything else is labeled or identifiable! Now I wish I’d been even more sloppy than I was! :D
I believe you can eat pie no matter the weather, temperature, the circumstances. Your pie looks fabulous. Love the way some of the ingredients came from your own backyard.
I agree completely, you can eat pie at any time, but it’s easier to justify when it’s cold.. ;-)
Thank you, I was pretty chuffed that we were able to pull some of the ingredients from the backyard too!
And by coincidence I was eating a tasty cottage pie when this post popped up. The cook added no salt butinstead used finely diced bacon to add savour.
Peter, bacon sounds like a fabulous addition! Thanks for the suggestion!
My husband was just telling me about labeling and dating freezer contents. I told him I would label him with an expiration date….he is semi retired and I am going crazy…LOL.
This is a great idea as I love these savory pies. I am going to search for left over meat.
Norma…sigh…I get that lecture all the time. I am getting better at labeling, although sometimes it rubs off in the freezer (that’s my defence and I’m sticking to it.. :))
Yummy! This is wonderful post, photographs and recipes… You are amazing dear Celia. Thank you, and I would like to say that your blog is one of my nominated blogs. If you visit you can find the details. With my love, nia
http://photographyofnia.com/2011/10/30/another-versatile-blogger-award-thank-you-dear-david/
Nia, thank you! That’s very kind of you! :)
Yummm! I think I still have room for more in my belly that was just filled w/ pizza. I’ll be right over to try some! Oh darn, there probably isn’t any left now is there? I have a brother and I know how much he used to consume at the age your sons are at, so I’m sure there’s probably none left. I’ve never had Kohlrabi before? What’s it like? What a great way to use up leftover meat & veggies. But pie should be round shouldn’t it?
Mel, are pies always round in America? When I was growing up, a meat pie was often square! :) Kohlrabi are a brassica, and we eat the swollen base, which tastes a bit like broccoli stems. They grow like mad in our backyard! :)
Cate P
Celia you are a legend ! Keep up the great suggestions each day
Hi darling, thanks for popping in to leave a comment! Still haven’t bought any of that tea…hahaha…
My dad always called pies Mystery Bags, but I guess not if they were as yummy looking as this! Not a bit of gristle in sight :) Nice way to use up leftovers and garden pickings too and make them special.
Becca, you always notice stuff, thank you. The meat was absolutely superb, I’m pretty sure now it was the angus rump, and it was completely gristle-free! :)
Looks wonderful. Salivating. Am homesick (ie Sydney-sick) for some good meat pie. Is the pie shop on Glebe Point Road still there? They used to put in the mushy peas….. Have a wonderful week!
PS Hari Raya Haji hoiday coming up in Asia. Any seasonal dish for the occasion?
Not sure if you ate a Deepavali dish last week!
The pie shop on GPR is still there, but there’s a much better one now in Newtown called the Pie Tin. Come over and I’ll take you.. :) xxx