Pie Pie Baby

In my earlier post I mentioned PIE.
I love PIES.
Not shop ones of course, they shouldn't even be called PIES. And I know what I'm talking about because I had one once. It was a chicken one which, when studied closely, had a sliver of white meat drowning in a glutinous sauce. Disgraceful. Findus made the offending item and I was very poor and stupid when I ate it.
I now make my own pies.

Such as the one which will grace the old wooden table round about 8.

It isn't grand and doesn't contain anything fancy yet it's good enough to give to friends on a special occasion. I don't have many friends and tonight isn't a special occasion but I'll go to the same trouble as if I had three chums paying a visit. Three? :(

A good PIE is only as good as its pastry and my pastry is excellent, or so I'm told. I do however play around with it a bit. I can't just create the PIE and bake it, no, I always feel the need to decorate the thing with ropes, balls and leaves made from the remaindered pastry.
Tonight's PIE has a nautical theme, bearing something resembling a twisted rope and a queer anchor. I am not a sculptor, of that you can rest assured...

See above pic which is of a slightly scorched PIE with an Iron Balls theme

But in the innards of the pastry lies a lot of tasty ingredients.
See below.

250g/8oz Steak Mince
1 large chopped onion
2 grated carrots
a finely chopped leek, a little of the green suffices
1 grated potato, Roosters are fab
1 crumbled oxo cube, 2 would be ok
A very generous splash of Mushroom ketchup or Worcestershire sauce
lots of black pepper
a little Muscovado sugar
a teaspoon of salt
Water

Mix up and lay in pastry case. Top with pastry lid. Decorate if you must. Brush with beaten egg yolk or milk. Bake for about 45 minutes in a moderate oven until very golden and the seams seem to be coming open. That's alright.
Serve with whatever you like. Buttery milky mash is fine, so are plain boiled potatoes, but my favourite is chips. Chips and Heinz Curried Beans.

Talking of beans I have a Beans recipe which is a real winner for weekday lunchtimes. Always serve this with garlic bread and a beer. Lovely.

Pork Ring with Barbeque Beans

240g Smoked Pork Sausage in a vacuum pack. Something like Mattesons or someone like that.
A little oil
2 chopped onions
1 chopped green pepper, or any colour really, but green goes better
2x 15 oz cans Baked Beans, Heinz of course are good but so are Sainsbury's own make, but NOT their Basics range please.
3oz dark soft brown sugar
a ten second shake of Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon of French Mustard, English is too violent
3 tablespoons Tomato Ketchup, not Lidl's

Cook Sausage like it says on the packet
Cook onion and green pepper for about 10 minutes till soft and silly. Then add all the other ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes.

Take sausage out of plastic wrapper and cut into slices preferably obliquely, looks nicer. Heat for another minute or two till thoroughly hot through.
Pour into a warm bowl to serve or dish up straight onto plates.

This is the kind of dish I cook when I wear industrial strength underwear.



On a lighter note:
Got a recipe book by Margeurite Patten. Very good book. But what is it about 'Chicken Cream' which makes me yukky up?

P.S.
You won't die if you eat PIE