What's for Dinner Tonight?

[JulieO]

Very artistic Judy, looks very tasty.  Looks lovely too Maddy. 

I made individual beef curry pies.  The recipe made so much filling that I've frozen half for another time.  Today I made 4 pies, froze 2 unbaked for an easy meal one night.  Filling only took 25 mins in my PC, the gravy beef was so tender.  

[maddy]

Gorgeous Julie!......I think that's what I'm looking forward to most with the pc....perfect texture for pie fillings 

[JulieO]

Thanks Maddy, you'll be surprised at how good the PCs are. 

[judydawn]

Thanks Julie.  Your pie looks great, very similar to one I had out at the Slug & Lettuce in Parafield Gardens last week. Top quality.

[Amy :-)]

Maddy, Julie and JD, all delicious looking meals. Well done girls

I didn't have time to make my smoothie to take with me, so I am home now and starving Its too late to be having a heavy meal so I will just whip up a small smoothie and have a bigger breakfast tomorrow morning.

[bickie]

Very happy dance the sun has finally come out in London. Had BBQ lamb with salsa verde, roast tomato salad and Dan Lepard sour cream bread. And drank a bucket of rose, while sitting in the garden. I am officially English - running out into the garden the minute the sun comes out. But I didn't sit in my undies!

[Halex]

Shame you dont live near me, I have a freezer full of meals.

H

[maddy]

I heard on the radio Bickie, your having a heat wave,  ......enjoy it!

[Yvette]

Yum Julie they look great

[obbie]

JD, Maddy and Julie O, photos all look fantastic.

Meat pies and veges tonight.

[deedub]

Tonight it's Cookie's tuna & macaroni bake - hopefully DD6 loves it as much as my usual tuna mornay. I get in trouble when I mess with the kids' favourites!

[CreamPuff63]

Not telling the two kids that will be home for dinner tonight, but its last nights leftovers of Vegetable Chilli (and it was sooo hot) they may not come home for tea and I might be the only one eating it 

[Wonder]

Julie those pies look great. Are you able to pm or post the recipe? Did you make them in a pie maker? The pastry looks lovely.

[astarra]

Dinner tonight - Slow cooked beef in gravy served with roasted potato and pumpkin, steamed corn, carrot and brocolli, and TM bread rolls. 

[JulieO]

Wonder, I used a recipe off Taste (have tried to find it but it appears to have gone) only I converted to making in my PC.  Will let you know what I did.

The recipe below shows a halved recipe as when I made the full amount it was far too much, so if you want the original recipe, just double the ingredients below.

It's not a strong curry flavour as it only uses curry powder, so if you have a spice combination you prefer then go for that.  
The meat was perfectly cooked in 25 mins, just pulled apart and the perfect texture for a pie.  

I did cut the meat in roughly 4cm cubes, so quite big, but it was the right size to use for this.  

CURRIED BEEF PIE/s
1 ½ tbsp plain flour
750g gravy beef, cut into 4cm pieces (really want biiiig pieces)
1 large brown onion, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp curry powder
1 cup beef stock
1 ½ tsp brown sugar
optional - dollop caramelised garlic paste, sundried tomato pesto, and slug of worc sauce
2 tbsp milk for brushing
2 sheets (25 x 25cm) frozen butter puff pastry, just thawed

Heat 1 tbsp oil in PC. Cook the onions over medium heat stirring, until golden.
Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Stir in curry powder. Cook for 1 minute. Scrape to a plate.

Place cut up beef into a large bowl.  Sprinkle over the flour, salt & pepper and combine until coated.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in PC over medium-high heat. Cook the beef in batches only for a min or so to brown off.  Remove to a plate with a slotted spoon.

Add onion mixture back into empty PC.  Add stock and sugar and lift up any sediment stuck to base of pan.
Stir in other condiments and beef.  Cover with lid and bring to high pressure over high heat.
Once stabilised, cook 25 mins.

Release pressure using nrm.   Uncover.  Simmer over med heat uncovered until sauce reduces, but not too much as it will dry out some when baking.  Allow to cool completely.

Base Pastry enough for 4 individual pies or 1 large
190g plain flour
85g chilled butter, cubed
3 tblsp iced water

Add flour and then butter to TM bowl.  Turbo twice to cut butter into flour.
With blades turning on speed 6, pour water through opening in the lid and allow dough to just come together, about 13 secs in all.  Remove from bowl, bring into a ball and if making individual ones,  divide into 4 portions. Refrigerate wrapped for 30 mins.

Roll out pastry to line tin/s.  Allow a little overhang to allow for shrinkage, and put back into the fridge for 30 mins. If you are using non-stick tins, there's no need to grease them.  Preheat oven 200C.  Put a baking tray big enough to hold the tin/s into the oven to heat.

Remove tins from the fridge and prick the bases of the pies with a fork and bake for 20-25 mins or until golden.  

Take puff pastry sheets out of freezer to defrost.

To assemble:
Spoon cooled beef mixture into the pastry bases. Brush the edges with either milk or egg wash.
If making individual pies, cut out 2 tops from each pastry sheet, big enough to cover top of tins.  Trim and press to seal.

If making one large pie, place one sheet of the pastry on top of the other, then roll out gently until big enough for the top of your pie.
Brush with milk or eggwash and cut a cross in the top to allow steam to escape.
Place on the baking tray in the oven and bake until puffed and golden.