The beaver is a proud and noble animal
Notes from a bemused canuck
Things that happened today:
1. We got tailgated by Jamie Oliver and Jools
2. Storm Troopers told us to move along in front of Virgin Megastore
3. I had my brain chewed on by a madness hamster.
4. There are fucking fireworks going off everywhere and it's driving me insane.
5. We bought a xmas tree and an assload of baubles to put in it.
This is a recipe I saw being made on BBC's Saturday Kitchen and I just had to make it. So good! I tweaked it to make it my own, but it still turned out wonderful.
500g/1lb2oz potatoes
300g/10oz rump steak, cut into 1cm/0.5in dice or strips
4 onions, peeled and chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
sage
bisto
splash of red wine
2 eggs, beaten
Method
1. Peel and slice the potatoes and boil them in salted water for 10 minutes until parboiled. Drain and put to one side.
2. In a hot pan, sear the beef until well browned, then remove from the pan. Cook the onions until brown and softened and add the beef.
3. Mix bisto in some water. Add to beef/onions and add splash of red wine. Reduce until well thick.
4. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Lay the sliced potatoes on the bottom circle of pastry leaving a 3.5cm/1margin around the edge.
5. Season the potato slices as you layer them on top of the pastry – you should end up with a layer of potatoes about 2.5cm/1in thick. Now spoon the moist beef and onion mix over the top and spread it out. If you have reduced it enough, the juices will not run off the edges.
6. Lay the other circle of pastry on top and crimp the edges well.
7. Brush liberally with egg wash and score any pattern you like into the pastry. Cut a tiny hole in the top to allow steam to escape and bake for 30 minutes.
Shortcrust pastry:
225g/8oz plain flour
tsp salt
65g/2chilled butter, cut into pieces
65g/2chilled lard, cut into pieces
1tbsp cold water
Method
Sift the flour and salt into a food processor or a mixing bowl. Add the pieces of chilled butter and lard and work together until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the water with a round bladed knife until it comes together into a ball, turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead briefly until smooth. Roll out on a little more flour and use as required.