Yesterday was National Pie Day and while I should have reminded you all earlier so you could honor it in the way it's meant to be honored, I chose to keep it a secret. I mean, if I'd let the cat out of the bag what would I have had to brag about today? I figured there was no way on God's green earth I could convince the big guy a triple cherry pie would make a great dinner and since I knew that I couldn't make a quiche because he wouldn't eat the darn thing either, I appealed to my resident carnivore with a good old British Steak and Guinness Pie.
This particular recipe is adapted from Jamie Oliver's and quite honestly right from the start there's something fishy about it. Hey, I'm Canadian so when someone claims something is something, it means it should be THAT ONE thing. The "steak" in this recipe is actually stewing meat, and while I pretty much put the ingredients into the pie that were in Jamie's recipe, I changed the method somewhat. I'm kinda' picky when it comes to braising meat, which is really what this recipe is all about. I also made it a top crust pie instead of a two crust one to cut some calories, and left out the cheese and the "knob" of butter too. I mean just how much butter is a "knob" anyway?
I'll leave it up to you if you want to compare mine Download Steak and Guinness Pie to his original. Suffice to say, it was OK but really needed a "kick" to take it over the top, even though I'd doubled the garlic and increased the rosemary and changed the cooking method. Had I really been brilliant I would have added the much needed kick to the pie before I put the pastry on it, but alas the kick (horseradish) was mixed in by the individual noshing said serving.
In my case I merely slathered the horseradish on top of the pastry which made my eyes bug out and water after every bite and my nose run - that was after I could catch my breath. OK - so I overdid the horseradish. The point I'm trying to make is that you may want to mix some into the beef before you put the lid on. Course had I done that I would have deprived the big guy of his entertainment for the evening, never mind the rush you get when you can actually breathe again.
In closing, the pie was pretty and it was good which means it was pretty good, but now I'm left to wonder. Can you suffer brain damage from oxygen deprivation when you eat too much horseradish? Inquiring mind wants to know.
Love the horseradish!! Love this pie, a total winner in my book!!
Posted by: noble pig | 01/24/2010 at 01:16 PM
Thank you Cathy. The big guy got a big laugh out of it. Funny though, he put lots of HR on his too but there was no reaction. Metal mouth.
Posted by: June | 01/24/2010 at 03:31 PM
It's absolutely beautiful June. And I had no idea it was National Pie Day yesterday. Had I known, I'd have baked a cake!
Hubby would have grooved on this recipe as he can eat horseradish by the spoonful.
Posted by: Mags | 01/24/2010 at 04:46 PM
And congrats on your oven-fried cluck photo getting accepted at Tastespotting! WooHooo! You go girl!
Posted by: Mags | 01/24/2010 at 04:50 PM
Mags - it is a pretty darn good pie for National Pie day and the horseradish really made the dish. Thanks also for the Tastespotting congrats. Pretty neat, eh? Hope the Colonel doesn't hunt me down.
Posted by: June | 01/24/2010 at 05:56 PM