When I reached the door of the shop, I blinked twice and checked my watch. It was after opening time, yet the stands that normally displayed fresh fruit and veg, retro crisps and puddings had not been put out and there was no sign of life within the shop. Squinting through the windows I could see a few stray bananas hanging motionless from their hooks like convicts swaying gently from the gallows pole. Many shelves looked quite bare. I turned away hoping that this was just a temporary closure.
Luckily I had salvaged some Beetroot and Pickling Onions from the shop the week previously. That said after a sunny walk, which saw the Dogg get subjected to an impromptu obedience class by two middle aged women seemingly obsessed with fibrous cereal, I employed these vegetables as ingredients in a pie.
I have previously made stir-fried beef marinated in Chilli and Ginger as well as Beetroot, Ginger and Chilli Soup. I thought therefore it would be a good combination to put into a pastry pie.
The ingredients to make this dish are as follows:
For the filling
One pack of Diced Beef from the Supermarket.
Eight Ounces of Root Ginger, peeled and sliced thinly.
Six Pickling Onions, topped tailed and thinly cut.
Half a Teaspoon of Chilli Powder.
Half a Teaspoon of Chilli Flakes.
Ten Juniper Berries.
Four Beetroot- topped, tailed, peeled and sliced into cubes.
For the Stock
Quarter of a Pint of Beef Stock, made thick using two or three tablespoons of Plain Flour and half a teaspoon of Ground Ginger.
For the Pastry
Sixteen Ounces of Plain Flour.
Eight Ounces of Unsalted Butter.
One tablespoon of Unsweetened Soya Milk.
Stevie Wonder's early 1972 album "Music of My Mind" was on the player. This unjustly overlooked record regularly dwells in the shadows of it's well-known successors "Talking Book", "Innervisions" and "Songs in the Key of Life". However it shares much in common with them in that Wonder plays most of the instruments save some well-chosen appearances by guest musicians.
It is also the first in a line of works by a mature artist who was no longer merely the accomplished child prodigy of yesteryear. Save from the fourth track the songwriting, arrangements and guest appearances are all out of the top drawer and it deserves the same recognition as the albums that followed it. I first acquired the album in my mid-twenties when my dad and I went on an all-to rare father and son outing to the record shop at a local mall.
The method for this recipe was as follows:
1. Sweat in a Le Cresceut the Pickling Onions, Ginger, Chilli Flakes and Chilli Powder in Olive Oil for five minutes.
2. Add the Beef Pieces and stew on a low to medium heat for fifty minutes turning regularly to avoid sticking.
3. Simmer the Beetroot Pieces in a pan of boiling water for one hour.
4. While the ingredients for the filling are cooking make the Pastry by rubbing in the Flour and Butter in a mixing bowl until the mixture resembles golden breadcrumbs. Add the Milk gradually and stir it into the pastry. Manipulate it together and knead well into a ball.
5. Put the ball of pastry in the fridge for twenty minutes.
6. Make the Stock by adding a quarter of a pint of boiling water to a measuring jug with the Beef Stock Cube and Ground Ginger. Dissolve the Stock Cube with the water and gradually add the flour. Stir it in steadily to make a thick gravy.
7.Remove the pastry from the fridge and roll half of it out so that it covers the bottom of a twenty-five centimetre wide and five centimetre deep pie dish.
8. Spread the Beef Mixture and Beetroot evenly throughout the dish.
9. Distribute the Gravy evenly in the dish.
10. Roll out the rest of the Pastry and use it to cover the top of the pie.
11. Brush the top of the pie with Soya Milk.
12. Cook in the oven on Gas Mark Six for thirty minutes before serving.
Earlier in the week I had discussed the ingredients of this recipe with my venerable colleague. She had questioned the wisdom of putting them in a pie together. I too had reservations that the Ginger would make the Pie too sweet. However it turned out to be a real revelation that was rich, healthy- thanks to the Beetroot which is good for your heart, and with sharp flavours that were not sweet enough to undermine this delicious savoury dish.
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| Pie Cut- a cross section reveals the purple hue of the Beetroot. |
