Classic Steak and Kidney Pies

J takes the credit for finding and adapting a bunch of recipes into something that looked good to us. The results? See for yourself!

Steak and kidney pies are a traditional British treat that J first tried on a trip to Cambridge. Since then, he's scoured both San Francisco and Los Angeles for a comparable rendition. So far, he says ours is the best!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 lbs chuck steak, cut into 1/2 inch dice
• 1/2 lb ox, lamb, or calve kidney (I used a full pound)
• 2 onions, chopped (I chopped one and pureed the other)
• butter
• one pound mushrooms, cut into thick slices or large cubes
• 2.5 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon tomato puree (which I didn't have)
• ½ teaspoon garlic salt
• 2 bay leaves
• 3/4 pint veal stock or beef stock (or water and stock cube or granules)
• ¼ beer (Guiness or Pale Ale)
• worcestershire sauce
• salt and pepper
• 1 egg, beaten, for glazing
  

For our first attempt, we used veal kidneys for their mild flavor. Little City Market at the intersection of North Beach and Chinatown was able to order fresh, high quality kidneys for us at a very reasonable price.

The steak portion was chuck roast, cubed and lightly pounded.

Fry the steak and kidney in batches, browning the meat on all sides. Remove the meat to a pot as you finish browning it, and then use the butter to pick up the remaining bits and pieces. Use the butter to fry the onions over medium heat until soft.

Place the saucepan on medium heat, stirring in the flour, and allow it to cook for two to three minutes. Add the bay leaves and mushrooms (which I didn't have this time). Pour in the stock and ale and bring to a simmer, skimming off any impurities. The meat should just be covered with the stock; if not, top with a little more stock or water. Simmer gently, partially covered, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. During the cooking time it may need to be skimmed several times. 4After 1 1/2 hours, check the meat for tenderness. If not quite soft enough, cook for the additional 30 minutes. If the meat is cooking gently, it will not need to be topped off.

Make enough pie crust for two 9 inch pies while you wait for the filling to cool to room temperature. I'm not going to get into the details here, but I rolled out a few medium pies and a few small ones. The ones in the picture above were made in muffin tins so I could keep them in the freezer for a quick snack. Aren't they fun? They remind me of Mrs. Lovett's pies from Sweeney Todd. Of course, I'm pretty sure these wouldn't be the worst pies in London!

You can make pies with both bottom and top crusts, or with just the top crust like this one. Fill the pies with lukewarm filling, top with the crust, bake, and eat!