Mrs Beeton's Pork Pie

Now, this is something a bit different. I have, over the years, developed a fascination with food and it's associated history. Now that I am once again living in the UK, I feel it appropriate to publish something quintessentially British - an historic and authentic Mrs Beeton's recipe. I have taken this a step further and decided on the Pork Pie, as I am in the Midlands and this indeed hails from this general area - notably the Milton Mawbray Pork Pie. In 1861, "Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management" was published and became a housewives bible. As a special treat, I have found the pdf link of the original publication for you all to have a snif at!

http://www.exclassics.com/beeton/beetpdf1.pdf

INGREDIENTS

For the crust

5 lbs. of lard to 14 lbs. of flour, milk, and water.

For filling the pies

To every 3 lbs. of meat allow 1 oz. of salt, 2–1/4 oz. of pepper, a small quantity of cayenne, 1 pint of water.
Mode.—Rub into the flour a portion of the lard; the remainder put with sufficient milk and water to mix the crust, and boil this gently for 1/4 hour. Pour it boiling on the flour, and knead and beat it till perfectly smooth. Now raise the crust in either a round or oval form, cut up the pork into pieces the size of a nut, season it in the above proportion, and press it compactly into the pie, in alternate layers of fat and lean, and pour in a small quantity of water; lay on the lid, cut the edges smoothly round, and pinch them together. Bake in a brick oven, which should be slow, as the meat is very solid. Very frequently, the inexperienced cook finds much difficulty in raising the crust. She should bear in mind that it must not be allowed to get cold, or it will fall immediately: to prevent this, the operation should be performed as near the fire as possible. As considerable dexterity and expertness are necessary to raise the crust with the hand only, a glass bottle or small jar may be placed in the middle of the paste, and the crust moulded on this; but be particular that it is kept warm the whole time.
Sufficient.—The proportions for 1 pie are 1 lb. of flour and 3 lbs. of meat.
Seasonable from September to March.

Budget Leftover Chicken Pot Pie

First, make some REAL chicken stock for tomorrow's soup. This will need to settle and be refrigerated over night. Remove the chicken meat off the left over chicken from the previous nights roast and use for the pie recipe. In a large pot, put all remaining chicken bones etc. Add a sprig of thyme, half an onion and a carrot and fill with water to cover chicken. Bring to the boil then lower to a gentle simmer. Simmer uncovered for 1.5 hours, skimming off any impurities which settle on the surface. Be careful not to boil, as this will make the stock cloudy.

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 2 Tablespoons flour
• 1 cup chicken stock
  
• 1 cup milk
• ½ cup white wine or cooking sherry
• 1 desertspoon chopped fresh rosemary
  
• 1 desertspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 ½ cup to 2 cups diced leftover chicken
• 2 large carrots, roughly diced
  
• 2 ribs celery, sliced into 2 cm chunks
  
• Salt and pepper to taste
  
• 1 sheet of flakey pastry (approx 35cm x 20cm long - depending on the dish you choose to bake with). These often come in a packet of 2, freeze the second sheet of pastry for another time.
  

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 210 Celcius.
2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan.
3. When butter begins to bubble, sprinkle in the flour and whisk to combine.
4. Slowly pour in the chicken broth. Whisk until smooth and beginning to thicken.
5. Add the milk, wine or sherry, rosemary, and thyme.
6. Combine the chicken, carrots and celery in a bowl.
7. Pour the sauce over the vegetables and meat and stir to combine
8. Pour the chicken, vegetable and sauce mixture into the baking dish.
   
9. Top with the pastry sheet and pinch around the edges to seal, or use a fork to do the same.
   
10. Bake at 210 degrees for 10 minutes, then lower heat to 180 degrees and bake for thirty minutes more.

Main Ingredients - based on Tesco's prices at date of posting:
(Not including cupboard staples and already purchased ingredients etc)

Jus Rol 2 Puff Pastry Sheets 425g - £1.60
7 loose Carrots Class 1 - £0.49 (use only two for this dish, the remainder for tomorrow's meal)
Tesco Celery Each - £0.78

Total approximate cost £1.27

Not too shabby!

Medieval Blackbird Pie

Ingredients

Prepare the largest pie shell and top lid which your pastry pans and oven will accommodate.

A "spring mould pan" or one allowing easy removal of the pie crust is best.

Butter for greasing baking pan

2 or more cups of dried beans

Live tethered birds, frogs, turtles, or wind up animals

2 egg yolks

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Method

1. Preheat oven to 220 c
2. Very lightly grease the large pie pan, then dust with flour
3. Reserving sufficient dough for a top crust, press in a reasonable thick bottom pie crust
4. Fill the pie shell with dried beans, or other reusable filler, to weigh down the crust as it bakes to avoid bubbling. Apply and carefully seal the upper crust to the lower
5. Glaze with egg yolk mixed with cinnamon
6. Bake 40 minutes at 220c or until golden brown
7. When cool, carefully gain access to the bottom crust and cut a large hole 0 10-15cm in diameter - through which remove all bean filler, reserving the piece of cut crust.
8. Into the well-cooked shell, insert the live or wind up animals immediately before serving. If possible, replace the pastry cut so as to "close the hole".
9. Scrupulously carefully, cut around the circumference of the crust at time of serving, about 1/4 way around the pie. Equally gently, cut toward the centre, taking extreme care not to touch the animals. Lift out upper crust portion.
10. The birds or frogs will happily "liberate" themselves on the table in order to amaze and amuse the festers.
11. This pie makes a dramatic finale to a formal feast.
    

Smoked Fish Pie (with local NZ fish)

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

Prepare the fish

1 whole smoked kahawai (or a firm smoked white fish)
5 pepper corns
two bay leaves
1 cup of milk

1. Carefully remove all the flesh from the fish, omitting any bones and place in a large microwavable dish
2. Add pepper corns, bay leaves and milk
3. Cook on high for 4 minutes
4. Remove fish, strain liquid and set aside

Prepare the Sauce

50grams butter
1 heaped tablespoon flour
Strained flavoured milk from the fish preparation
50grams grated cheddar cheese

1. Heat butter in a saucepan until melted.
2. Add flour, stirring constantly until it foams.
3. Slowly, stirring as you go, add flavoured milk.
4. Bring to the boil and stir until thickened.
5. Add cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.
   
6. Add more milk if too thick.

Prepare the Pie

2 cups pre cooked rice, of which 1 tsp tumeric was added to water while cooking
3 desert spoons oilive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
2 celery ribs, sliced
4 hard boiled eggs, halved
1 cup of cooked shellfish of your choice e.g. shrimp, scallops, muscles
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

1. Heat olive oil in large frying pan and add onion, garlic and celery. Cook until onion has turned opaque.
2. In a large bowl combine the sauce, flaked smoked fish, vegetables and shellfish.
3. Spread rice across the bottom of an oven proof dish then spoon the sauce mixture on top of it.
   
4. Carefully insert the boiled eggs so that they are covered by the sauce.
5. Sprinkle with the cheddar cheese and place back in a pre heated oven on 170c for 30 mins.
6. After 30 mins turn oven to grill mode and grill off the top of the pie until golden.
   
7. Serve with mixed green leaf salad.