The Cultural Dish

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Steak and Kidney Pie

There is just nothing like a nice piece of kidney! Or is there? Okay, so eating a kidney may not sound like the most appetizing thing in the world, but as I am willing to try anything, you can bet I decided to sink my teeth into some of those bad boys! And guess what?? To my surprise, I actually liked it! Granted, I did eat it mixed in with other flavors and meats, but still, I was definitely pleasantly surprised.

So why did I decide to try a slice of steak and kidney pie? Well, first off, I am obsessed with anything related to the UK, and seeing as how this is definitely more of a British dish, it was on my "to eat" list. Second, I am usually pretty adventurous when it comes to trying new foods, and apparently kidneys were not enough to drive me away. And finally, because as most of you have figured out by now, I am in love with the Harry Potter books. Yes, in love. Therefore, since steak and kidney pie is one of the many dishes enjoyed in the Harry Potter books, I knew right away that I would have to someday eat the stuff!

Steak and Kidney Pie

Mmm, lamb kidney!
A little nauseating to work
with, but it's worth it!

Ingredients:
-1 to 1 1/2 pounds chuck steak, diced
-1/2 pound ox or lamb kidney, diced
-1 large onion, chopped
-1 garlic clove, minced
-1 cup beef or chicken stock
-3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
-2 tablespoons tomato paste
-Salt and pepper to taste
-Olive oil
-One egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash

For the dough:
Use a prepared dough, such as Pillsbury, a recipe of your choice, or my recipe that can be found HERE.

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Working in batches, place the chuck steak in a frying pan until browned on the outside. Remove the steak from the pan and set aside. Do the same for the kidneys and set them aside with the steak.

In a medium saucepan, drizzle a little olive oil and sauté the onions until they just start to brown. Add the garlic and sauté only for about 30 seconds.

Stir in the meats, flour, and salt and pepper, and mix well. Slowly add in the broth and tomato paste. The broth should cover the meat, if not, add a little more broth or water to cover. Let simmer, uncovered, for about an hour. The top may need to be skimmed during cooking.

Once the mixture has thickened and the meats are tender, add a little more salt and pepper if needed. Remove the mixture from the heat and let cool until it is lukewarm.

Meanwhile, roll out your dough and line a 9 inch round or square baking dish with one half of the dough. Pour in the meat mixture and seal with the other half of the dough. Seal the edges of the pie together and make a few slits on the top of the pie. Place the pie dish on top of a baking pan in case there is any leaking during the cooking process so the pan will catch the drippings and not the bottom of your oven!

Brush the top of the pie with the egg wash and bake for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Allow the pie to cool slightly out of the oven before serving. Enjoy!

This pie is also a featured recipe on Wiki - Thank you so much!

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Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Ahi Tuna with Cucumber Sauce and Salad

With all of this heat and humidity that has been happening lately, not many people are really in the mood to eat heavier meals, or even turn on the oven for that matter! Since I was in the mood for something light and easy, I decided to go with Ahi Tuna... but what to serve it with?? As a part of Food Networks SummerFest, the vegetable of the week was cucumber. Therefore, I decided to serve my Ahi Tuna over a bed of sliced cucumbers with a creamy cucumber sauce! This dish is so light and refreshing and will definitely satisfy you during these hot summer months!

Ahi Tuna with Cucumber Sauce and Salad

Ingredients

Tuna:

-1 ahi tuna steak

-Olive oil

-Ground coriander

-Salt and pepper to taste

Cucumber Sauce:

-1 cucumber, finely chopped (seeds removed)

-1 cup mayonnaise (or sour cream or plain yogurt if you do not have mayonnaise)

-1 garlic clove

-1 teaspoon lemon juice

-1/2 tsp dried dill weed (parsley can be used if you do not have dill)

-Salt and pepper to taste

Cucumber Salad:

-1 cucumber thinly sliced

-1/2 onion thinly sliced

-Sliced radishes

(You can add any vegetable or herb you would like, these are the three that I used)

Directions:

Prepare cucumber sauce either the night before, or several hours before serving. In a food processor, mix all of the ingredients except for the mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Remove the cucumber mixture from the food processor, and pour into a bowl. Mix in the mayonnaise with a spoon or whisk. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.

For the salad, slice the cucumber, onion, radishes, and any other vegetable or herb that you would like to add. Set aside.

Using a pastry brush, coat the ahi tuna steak with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and coriander. Place the tuna in a skillet and cook for about 2 minutes on each side. Do not overcook or the tuna will be too rubbery. You want the tuna to be raw in the middle. Once the tuna is done, remove from heat and allow to rest for a few minutes.

Serve the tuna over a bed of cucumbers with the sauce on the side or drizzled on top. Eat up and enjoy this light and delicious meal!