Pie and Pastry Bible (92 page)

In a large saucepan, over high heat, boil the beef stock until reduced to 2¼ cups, about 15 minutes. Set it aside, covered.

Wash and skin the kidneys. With scissors, snip the membrane and fat where it is connected to the core and peel away the membrane with your fingers. Separate them into lobes. Slice them ½ inch thick. Cut the steak into 1-inch cubes. Cut the optional blood sausage into ¼-inch cubes.

Run the tops of the mushrooms under cold water to remove any dirt, then rinse the gills (undersides) briefly, so they won’t absorb much water. With a small
sharp knife, cut off the stems and slice them ¼ inch thick. Cut the caps into wedges about ¼ inch long by 1 inch wide. Set them on paper towels to drain well.

Preheat the oven to 425°.

Lightly salt the steak cubes. In a large heavy skillet, over medium-high heat, and brown the steak cubes in batches, without crowding, turning to brown on all sides, until cooked to rare (115 or to 120°F.), about 4 minutes. (They will continue cooking slightly in the pies.) Remove them to a bowl.

Reduce the heat to medium and, if using, sauté the blood sausage pieces until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Remove them to the bowl.

Lightly salt the kidneys. Add 3 tablespoons of the rendered fat to the skillet and brown the kidneys for 2 minutes, or until barely pink inside. Remove them to the bowl.

Add the onions to the skillet and sauté them for 3 minutes or until translucent. Add the mushrooms, along with about 2 tablespoons of water if they appear dry (stored mushrooms often lose moisture), cover, and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally and adding a little water if needed, for 10 to 15 minutes or until tender when pierced with a skewer. Remove them to the bowl.

Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of fat to the skillet. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the stock. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes or until the sauce is very thick; it should just barely drip from the spoon. Add the Worcestershire and salt and pepper to taste. (There will be 2¼ cups of gravy.) Stir it gently into the beef mixture, along with the parsley and thyme. (The filling can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours at this point.)

Spoon the mixture into the pie pans and cover each with greased foil. Bake for 10 minutes (15 if the filling was refrigerated). Place a baked pastry lid on each pielet and bake 5 minutes more.

POINTERS FOR SUCCESS

Don’t simmer the kidneys in the sauce, as this would toughen them.

SHEPHERD’S PIE

I
have always been intrigued by a “pie” that had no bottom crust and mashed potatoes as a top crust. I have since learned that although it is now prepared with many sorts of leftover meats, shepherd’s pie traditionally was prepared with leftover lamb, which gave it its name. My favorite dish growing up was my grandmother’s succulent lamb shank stew with prunes and potato, but I had always been hesitant to serve it to company, as it was somewhat lacking in refinement, so I decided to try it as a sort of upscale shepherd’s pie, with my favorite Cræme-Fraîche/white-truffle-oil mashed potatoes as decorative topping. Even without the truffle oil, this pie is soul-satisfyingly fabulous.

OVEN TEMPERATURE: 425°F. • BAKING TIME: 10 MINUTES (PLUS 3 TO 5 MINUTES BROILING) SERVES: 6
INGREPIENTS	MEASURE	WEIGHT
VOLUME	OUNCES	GRAMS
*Or ¼ teaspoon dried thyme.
†2 cups if making by the traditional method.
‡These are exceptionally moist.
all-purpose flour	1½ tablespoons	0.5 ounce	14 grams
salt	1 teaspoon	0.25 ounce	7 grams
freshly ground black pepper	teaspoon	•	•
cayenne pepper	a big pinch	•	•
lamb shanks, cut into 3-inch pieces		3 pounds	1 kg 360 grams
extra-virgin olive oil	1½ tablespoons, divided	•	•
1 medium onion, thinly sliced	1 cup	4 ounces	114 grams
1 rib celery (including leafy portion), thinly sliced	½ cup	1.5 ounces	45 grams
1 medium clove garlic, minced	1 teaspoon	•	3.5 grams
fresh thyme leaves*	1 teaspoon	•	•
1 small bay leaf	•	•	•
water	¾ liquid cup	•	•
12 pitted prunes, preferably Sunsweet premium prunes*	1 cup, firmly packed	6 ounces	170 grams
Mashed Potatoes 2 large boiling potatoes, preferably Yukon Gold	(3 cups)	1½ pounds	680 grams
unsalted butter	2 tablespoons	1 ounce	28 grams
Cræme Fraîche (page 558) or sour cream	½ cup	4 ounces	116 grams
salt	½ teaspoon	•	•
nutmeg, preferably freshly grated	a grating	•	•
freshly ground white pepper	a few grindings	•	•
optional: white truffle oil (see page 638)	1 teaspoon	•	•

EQUIPMENT

Six 4-inch deep-dish pie plates; optional: a 4-quart pressure cooker

In a reclosable gallon-size freezer bag, combine the flour, salt, black pepper, and cayenne; shake to mix. Add a few pieces of lamb at a time and toss to coat with the flour. If any of the flour mixture remains, set it aside.

Heat a large heavy frying pan, preferably cast iron, until hot. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and when a film appears over the oil, add only as much lamb as will fit in a single layer without crowding. Brown the lamb over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, for about 8 to 10 minutes or until browned on all sides. Remove the lamb to a bowl. Cook the remaining lamb in batches and set it aside.

In the same pan, heat the remaining 1½ teaspoons of oil. Sauté the onion and celery until the onions are golden brown and the celery wilted, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle on any remaining flour mixture, stir in the garlic, and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds.

PRESSURE COOKER METHOD

Spoon the vegetable mixture into the pressure cooker. Top with the lamb. Add the thyme, bay leaf, and water. Cook at full pressure for 20 minutes. Release the pressure, stir, add the prunes, and cook at full pressure for 10 more minutes. The meat should be almost falling-off-the-bone tender.

With a skimmer, remove the lamb, vegetables, and prunes to a large platter to cool. Tilt the pot and skim off the fat from the top of the gravy. Bring the gravy to a boil over medium-high heat and boil it down to
cup, stirring often to prevent scorching, about 5 minutes. Transfer it to a medium bowl.

TRADITIONAL METHOD

Spoon the vegetable mixture into a large pot. Top with the lamb. Add the thyme, bay leaf, and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce the heat, and simmer, partly covered, for 1½ hours.

Add the prunes and cook for about 30 minutes or until the meat is almost falling-off-the-bone tender. Remove the lamb, vegetables, and prunes to a large platter to cool. Tilt the pot and skim off the fat from the gravy. Over medium-high heat, boil down the gravy to
cup, stirring often to prevent scorching about 5 minutes. Transfer it to a medium bowl.

FOR BOTH METHODS

Remove the meat from the bones and cut it into 1-inch pieces. (There will be about 3½ cups) Add it to the bowl together with the vegetables and prunes and stir together gently. (The filling can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours at this point.)

Preheat the oven to 425°F. at least 20 minutes before baking.

MAKE THE MASHED POTATOES

Peel and quarter the potatoes. Place them in a medium saucepan and cover them with a few inches of cold water and add the salt. Boil them for 20 minutes or until just tender when pierced with a skewer or sharp knife. Drain the potatoes thoroughly and put them through a ricer, or sieve, or mash them. The secret to silky, smooth mashed potatoes is to press them through a ricer, sieve, or food mill. Using a food processor or blender will make them pasty, while mashing them with a fork or potato masher will never make them as smooth.

Stir in the butter with a wooden spoon. Heat the cræme fraîche and add it gradually to the potatoes, whisking briefly. Whisk in the salt, nutmeg, pepper, and optional truffle oil. Taste to adjust the seasoning. (I add about
teaspoon of salt.)