Cornish pasties

Cornish Pasty

 I would like to add the recipe for a properly made Pasty to the list of topics to avoid at all cost. when in a social environment. I have many people get upset with me that I do not make pasties quite the way their mothers did by adding carrots, using sliced or cubed filling. Where the pastry is crimped doesn’t even register with me as an issue worthy of debate. I only care if it is flavorful, and I’ll be happy having it as a snack….. Then again the Cornish pasty is derived from Cornwall, England and the residents there don’t even agree on how to make a pasty so I don’t think the issue is ever going to be resolved.

I think of the pasty as a comfort food, and couldn't care less if it is crimped on the top or the side. I don’t add carrots to mine, but I know many people do. I know the wives of many miners made them for their husbands to take to work. I know that some even added a sweet filling to a corner of the pasty so dessert and entrée could co-exist peacefully.  I know a bunch of people who live in Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin not only eat them, but take them seriously enough to bend my ear about technique once they hear the word pasty.

When I make pasties I don’t even follow the recipe exactly as it is written below because I make dozens at a time.  I blanch my vegetables ahead of time, and fold them into my beef just before stuffing my pastry. Speaking of pastry, I use puff pastry for my pasties because I like the texture over the traditional crust. I cook my beef in a slow cooker for several hours with the herbs, spices and Demi-glace that make the pasties that leave my kitchen tender, and well-seasoned little bundles of Joy that I think you too will enjoy.

Ingredients

For the pastry:

Puff Pastry Sheets

-or-

10 ounces all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting

pinch salt

5oz cold unsalted butter

cold water, to mix

For the filling:

1 teaspoon olive oil

12oz eye of round steak, cut into cubes

1 onion, finely chopped

1 medium potato, peeled and finely chopped

3 medium turnips, peeled and finely chopped

1(6oz) rutabaga, peeled and finely chopped

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 pinch ground mace

¼ cup demi-glace

Sea salt and ground white pepper

2 tablespoons water (optional)

1 egg, beaten, to glaze

HP brown sauce, to serve (optional)

Steps:

1. If making the pastry from scratch, sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Cut the butter into small pea sized pieces and add to the flour. Using your hands, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

2. Add a little cold water, a tablespoon at a time, until the butter and flour mixture begins to come together. Using your hands, bring the dough together into a ball, then wrap in cling film and place into the fridge to chill while you make the filling.

3. For the filling, heat a little oil in a non-stick pan. Place the beef into the pan and sear on all sides, then remove from the pan and set aside.

4. Add the onion to the pan (adding a little extra oil, if necessary) and cook over a medium heat for 5-6 minutes, or until soft.

5. Add the potato, rutabaga, turnips, Worcestershire sauce, demi-glace and dried thyme. Season the mixture well with mace, salt and ground white pepper and stir.

Cover with a lid and cook gently for 5-10 minutes, or until the vegetables are just tender. Add 2 tablespoons of water to the pan if the mixture becomes too dry.

6. Return the beef to the pan and stir well, then remove from the heat and leave to cool.

7. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

8. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to approximately 1/4 inch thick. Using an upturned saucer or small plate as a guide, cut out circles about 8 inches in diameter.

9. Place the filling in the center of each pastry circle. Brush the edges with beaten egg and fold the pastry over the filling to make a half-moon shape. Using your fingers, crimp the edges together to

Seal the dough, and prevent the filling from bursting out when baking.

10. Place the pasties onto a parchment lined sheet pan and brush with more beaten egg. Transfer to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until crisp and golden-brown.

11. Serve the pasties hot, with some brown sauce, or beef gravy.

Mustard Sauce For Stone Crab Claws

Every year people get a little excited as Stone Crab season approaches, and that just happens to be one of the treats to living in South Florida. The fact is there's a restaurant in Miami that is only open during Stone Crab season, and the waiting list for people to get a job there is that talk of the town in the Hospitality Industry. I guess there's something to be said for a place that shuts down a few months a year, and just about everyone working there is pulling in great money. If you're looking to try your hand at Stone Crabs just grab some of our Bayou La Batre Crab Seasoning, mix up a cup of Mustard Sauce, and Start cracking claws! We often have people asking how to make this sauce so we decided to post the recipe for the most popular sauce out there for Stone Crab. This is the recipe for the sauce that is still served at the world famous Joe's Stone Crab in Miami.


Ingredients:

1 tablespoon Colman's dry mustard, or to taste

1 cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon A-1 Sauce

1/4 cup heavy cream

Salt & pepper to taste

Steps:

Place the mustard in a small mixing bowl. Whisk in the mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, A-1 Sauce, cream and a pinch of salt. Mix until well blended. If you'd like a little stronger mustard profile simply whisk in 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard. Chill the sauce, covered, in the refrigerator until serving.

Yield: 1 Cup

Fried Green Tomatoes

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup buttermilk

½ teaspoon Delacriox Island Creole Seasoning

1 ¾ Cups all-purpose flour, divided

1/2 Cup cornmeal

4 medium-size green tomatoes, cut into 1/3-inch slices

1½ teaspoon sea salt
1 ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ Cup cold beer

1 Egg
3 heaping teaspoons baking powder

Vegetable oil

Salt to taste

Steps:

1. Combine creole seasoning and buttermilk; add sliced tomatoes and set aside.

2. Place ¼ cup of flour in small bowl and set aside for dredging.

3. Combine 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, cornmeal, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper in a shallow bowl or pan.

4. Mix 1 cup flour, baking soda egg and enough cold beer to form a thick batter together and whisk until shiny in appearance. Allow to rest 5 minutes.

5. Remove tomatoes from buttermilk, and shake well. Dredge tomato slices in the reserved 1/4 cup seasoned flour; dip in beer batter mixture, and dredge in cornmeal mixture.

6. Preheat deep fryer to 375°. Drop tomatoes, in batches, into hot oil, and cook 2 minutes on each side or until golden. Drain on paper towels or a cooling rack. Season hot tomatoes with sea salt and black pepper.

Cottage Pie

While many cooks will associate this recipe as being Shepherd’s Pie, the fact is authentic Shepherd’s Pie is made with Lamb, or Mutton.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 Pounds ground beef

1 onions, finely chopped

½ Cup cooked carrots, diced

½ Cup green peas, blanched

1 garlic clove, finely minced*

1½ Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoons tomato paste

½ Cup red wine (optional)

2 Cups beef stock

2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon Fresh thyme leaf

1 bay leaf

2 Pounds Yukon gold potatoes, chopped

1/2 Cup whole milk

3 ounces unsalted butter

½ pound sharp cheddar, grated

Freshly grated nutmeg

Sea salt & freshly milled black pepper

Steps:

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large saucepan and fry the beef until browned. Drain and reserve.

 Add the rest of the oil to the pan, add the vegetables and cook on a gentle heat until just soft. Add the garlic, flour and tomato paste, increase the heat and cook for a few minutes.

Return the beef to the pan, and add the wine, if using, and boil to reduce it slightly before adding the stock, Worcestershire sauce and fresh herbs.

 Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes, or until the gravy is thick and just coating the meat.

When the sauce is reduced, adjust the seasoning with salt & pepper then discard the bay leaf.

Meanwhile, make the mashed potatoes. In a large saucepan, cover the potatoes in salted cold water, bring to the boil and simmer until tender. Drain well, then allow to steam-dry for a few minutes Mash well with the milk, butter, and three-quarters of the cheese, then season with the nutmeg, salt and freshly milled black pepper to taste.

Spoon the cooked meat into the bottom of a 9 x 12x 3 ovenproof dish.

Spoon the mashed potatoes over the meat, and smooth to cover evenly. Sprinkle on the remaining cheese.

 Heat oven to 350°F and bake for 45 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown. 

*Note, to keep your Peas bright green during the cooking process you can add an acid such as lemon juice or vitamin C to the cooking water, or add ¼ teaspoon of baking soda to 1 Quart of boiling water that will be used for cooking. Shock your peas in ice water to stop the cooking process immediately once they are just tender.