Beef Mince & Swede Pies

We love pies and when we created this pie it became an instant hit with both of us. It was so tasty. Steamed veg and succulent minced beef encased into puff or shortcrust pastry, whichever you prefer. We used pre-made pastry, we use it all the time as mostly puff pastry is very time consuming to prepare. Swede is a very interesting vegetable and is very underrated. It is actually called Rutabaga but here in the UK it is referred to as Swede which is short for Swedish turnip...another name that is used for this root vegetable. I find it very sweet and peppery in taste. This recipe makes about 5 large pies. Love it! Try out this pie...it's delicious...you will need...

• 500g minced beef
• 1 large onion, diced
• 500g swede, diced
• 5 small carrots, diced
• 3 medium potatoes, diced
• 1 Beef Oxo cube or 1 Knorr Beef Stock Pot
• Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• Ground black pepper, to taste
• 500ml thick gravy, 8 tsp gravy granules in 500ml boiling water
• 1kg ready-made puff or shortcrust pastry or 300g pastry if doing 1 large deep-filled pie
• 1 egg beaten, for egg-wash
• Flour for dusting

How to...

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Put the diced swede, carrots and potatoes in a large steamer and steam for about 20 minutes or until soft but not mushy. Alternatively, boil them until a toothpick or fork goes easily through the veg. When done remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
3. In the meantime, in a large pan fry the onion on medium heat in the oil until soft and transparent (about 8 minutes). Add the minced beef, tomato puree, Worcestershire sauce (to taste), ground black pepper, Oxo cube (crumbled) and the mixed herbs. Give the pan a good stir and cook until the beef turns brownish (about 20 minutes), stirring occasionally.
4. When both veg and beef mixture are cooked, add the veg to the meat mixture, add the gravy and stir well until all the ingredients are combined well. Set aside.
5. Lightly flour a working surface and roll out the pastry.  At this stage, if doing a large deep-filled pie you only need 300g pastry to line the pie dish and cover the top. If doing the single pies, cut around the rolled pastry with an inverted dinner plate so as you have a round shape. Spoon some pie mixture in the middle of the circle and close it to obtain a semi circular pie (as in the picture).
6. Pinch the ends well and brush with the egg wash. Prick the pies with a fork or scissors to let the steam out during cooking.
7. Put the pies, two at a time, in the preheated oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes until the pies are golden.

Enjoy!!

R&A

Penne alla Carbonara

This is how a proper Carbonara should be. This is a rustic pasta dish that comes from Rome although its origin is questionable as some Italians say it came from the Umbria region, some say it comes from the Lazio region and some say that it was invented by an inventor from Naples from the Campana region. Anyway, whatever the provenance it is a very tasty dish and a very quick and easy way to flavour your pasta. We used penne but spaghetti go very well with this type of sauce as well. If you do not have pecorino Romano you may use Grana padano or Parmegiano Reggiano. Make sure you use free range eggs so you get a lovely yellowy colour. The original recipe uses guanciale which similar to pancetta only that guanciale comes from the cheek of the pig (guancia means cheek in italian hence the name) and pancetta comes from the belly of the animal (pancia means belly in italian hence the name). Give it a go! For 4 people you will need...

• 300g penne
• 4 egg yolks + 1 whole egg
• 100g grated pecorino Romano
• 150g Guanciale or pancetta, diced

How to...

1. Start by cooking the pasta al dente. 
2. Cook the guanciale or pancetta in a hot pan (no oil is required as guanciale and/or lardons have enough fat on them) until crispy.
3. When the pasta is cooked, drain it but leave a little cooking liquid with the pasta to avoid having a dry pasta dish. Cover and set aside.
4. Start making the sauce by whisking the egg yolks and one whole egg in a bowl. Whisk until they are combined well. Add the cheese and combine well with the eggs. Now add the guanciale or pancetta. Mix again and add everything to the cooked pasta.
5. Mix slowly until all the pasta is covered with the sauce and serve.

Enjoy!!

R&A

Chilli Dogs As They Should Be!!

I have always been a fan of chilli. The hotter it is, the better for me. But what is great with chilli is that you can make as spicy, hot or mild as you like. I love hot dogs and love chilli so a Chilli Dog is one of my favourite dishes ever. Go ahead and try these chilli dogs to impress your family or your friends. The amount of chilli powder you put in this chilli is obviously to your taste so adjust it according to your taste. Make sure you use the best hot dogs you can get your hands on, we use Bockwurst but Wudy, Frankfurters or any other large sausage will do. One thing is for sure that if you prepare this chilli once, you will definitely do it again. Any leftover chilli can be used in burritos, enchiladas or served with white rice or tortilla chips as a meal. If you use a spoonful with each hot dog you will have enough chilli for about 16-20 chilli dogs. So go ahead and give this a go...you will love it...you will need...

For the chilli con carne

• 200g bacon, cut into small pieces
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 700g minced beef
• 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3 cans chopped tomatoes in juice
• 2 tablespoons molasses (Treacle) or 100g dark muscovado sugar or Piloncillo
• 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons chilli powder (or to taste) 
• 1/2 tablespoon cayenne pepper [Caution - Cayenne pepper is very hot]
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• 300ml beef stock (We used 1 Knorr stock pot in 300ml boiling water)
• 1 tin red kidney beans, drained and rinsed [optional]

For the dogs

• Hot dog buns (depends on how many you need)
• Hot dogs such as Bockwurst, Wudy, Frankfurters or others

To garnish

• Grated Mature Cheddar cheese
• Finely chopped raw onion (optional)

How to...

1. To make the chilli start by frying the onions in about 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and fry over high heat until brown, stirring frequently. 
2. Add the bacon and garlic. Cook until brownish.
3. Now add the minced beef and stir well with the onions. Cook the beef over high heat stirring occasionally until browned, about 15 minutes. 
4. When the beef is cooked, drain any excess liquid fat and add the chopped tomatoes, molasses, sugar or piloncillo (whatever you are using), stock, cocoa powder and all the spices. (Better add the chilli powder and cayenne pepper slowly so you can adjust to your taste...always taste before adding more). 
5. Stir well and simmer on a medium to low heat for about 90 minutes (or more) until the chilli has a thick consistency. If left too watery it will ruin the buns.
6. Grill your hot dogs until they are slightly charred. 
7. Slice open the hot dog buns, place a hot dog on, spoon some chilli on the dog, add grated Cheddar and chopped onions (if used) and enjoy!!! We dare you to stop at one dog :)

Enjoy!!

R&A