Fidget pie

Tags

apples, british food, cider, fidget pie, pie, Pork, pork pie, Shropshire

No one knows exactly when this pie was invented, but it has been made for at least 400 years. This is a regional specialty from Shropshire in the UK. Fidget pie, probably the county’s best-known dish, was in danger of becoming a distant memory until recently. Only the elderly still had recipes or remembered fidget pie’s function as a portable meal in the hand for workers at harvest time.

There are a few variations but the basic ingredients remain consistent: gammon or ham, apples, cider cooked in a pastry, with potato and onions too. I have changed it up a little, as it is near impossible to find gammon in France, and I used minced or ground pork instead and it was delicious.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

Pastry
500g / 2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
140g / 5oz lard or butter
215ml / 7oz water
Knob of butter for the tin
1 egg, beaten
Filling
500g / 1lb minced pork
125ml / 1/2 cup medium cider (cidre brut)
1 teaspoon salt
8 sage leaves, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
115g / 4oz unsmoked bacon or lardons, finely chopped
225g / 8oz grated onion
225g / 8oz peeled and grated apple, (I used pink lady)
1 large potato, grated

Preparation:

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/400F
Place a sheet of parchment paper on a baking tray
Butter the sides of a 22cm / 9″ springform cake tin
Place the springform pan, without its base, on the baking sheet

To make the pastry, put the flour into a large bowl
Add with 1 tsp salt
Heat the lard or butter and the water in a medium saucepan until the butter or lard melts and the water is just simmering
Pour the hot liquid into the flour and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula
When the mixture has comes together, tip it onto a floured surface and knead lightly to make a dough
Cover and set aside

To make the filling, mix the pork, cider, salt, sage, nutmeg and sugar together in a large bowl
Add the bacon, onion, apple and potato to the mixture and mix well – the best way to do this is with your hands
Be sure to squeeze all excess liquid out of your grated apple, onion and potato or else your mixture will be too wet

On a lightly floured surface roll out two-thirds of the pastry to a large circle and use it to line the cake tin, allowing the pastry to overlap the rim slightly
Trim off any excess
Roll remaining pastry to form a lid large enough to cover the pie
Set aside

Put filling in the pie case and push down well
Brush the pastry case’s edges with a little water and cover with the lid
Crimp the edges together and brush the top with the beaten egg
Bake for 60 minutes then turn off the heat and allow the pie to cool in the oven for 30 minutes
Remove from oven and cool for about 60 minutes before serving
Delicious cold as well
Enjoy!

 

 

 

BBQ and oven roasted pork ribs

Tags

BBQ, braai, oven roasted ribs, Pork, pork ribs, ribs

The secret to tender, juicy and succulent, melt in the mouth, finger licking good ribs is the real low and slow cooking. Perfect for when you have guests as most of the work is done ahead of time, the ribs can even be baked up to 2 days ahead, and the final bit on the BBQ takes no more than 10 minutes – perfect.

For my followers in the northern hemisphere, do bookmark this recipe, you will want to try it as soon as the weather permits.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2kg / 4lbs pork ribs
Large pinch of salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dry mustard powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup BBQ sauce

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 160C / 325F
Combine the salt, pepper, mustard, paprika and cayenne pepper in a bowl
Place the racks of ribs on a double layer of foil
Sprinkle and massage the rub all over the ribs
Wrap the racks individually, if more than one, ensure well sealed
Bake until very tender, about 3 hours
Unwrap the ribs and allow to cool completely (this can be done up to 2 days ahead)
Cover and place the ribs in the refrigerator until ready to BBQ
Heat the gas grill to high or build a medium hot charcoal fire
Unwrap the ribs and place on the BBQ, basting with BBQ sauce and turn frequently, until lacquered and charred in places and heated through, about 10 minutes
Transfer to a wooden board and cut between the ribs
Place on a platter and serve with some BBQ sauce
Enjoy!

Pork, chorizo and chickpea casserole

Tags

casserole, chickpeas, chorizo, garbanzo beans, Pork, pork belly, spanish, stew, winter food

There is nothing better on a cold winters day than a delicious, flavourful and heart warming stew. This one is a one-pot dish with Spanish flavours. The best cut of pork to use is pork belly but if you cannot find any, you can actually substitute almost any other cut and the dish is just as good; just adjust the cooking time accordingly.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 700g / 1 1/2 lbs skinless, boneless pork belly, cut into large bite-sized chunks
• 150g / 5oz cooking chorizo, sliced into thin rounds
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 large carrot, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds (optional)
• 1 pinch dried chilli flakes
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 thyme sprig
• 1 large pinch light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons tomato purée
• 50ml / 3 tablespoons Sherry vinegar or good-quality red wine vinegar
• 400g / 14oz can chopped tomatoes
• 250ml / 1 cup water
• 400g / 14oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (garbanzo beans in the US)
• 1 small bunch parsley, chopped
• Crusty bread to serve

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 160C/325F
Heat the oil in a large pot (Le creuset or similar) over medium high heat
Add the pork and brown it nicely on all sides, about 8 minutes
Using a slotted spoon, remove the pork cubes and set aside
Add the chorizo and cook for about a minute or so
Add the onion, carrot, fennel seeds, chilli flakes, salt and pepper, garlic, bay leaves and thyme
Cook for about 5 minutes until the vegetables are just starting to soften and colour
Add the sugar, tomato concentrate and vinegar and cook for a minute
Pour in the tomatoes and the water
Return the pork to the pot and bring to a boil
Cover and place in the oven for 1 hour 45 minutes
Check occasionally – if the sauce becomes too thick, add a splash more water
Stir in the chickpeas and return to the oven for 15 minutes
Remove, add the parsley and serve with crusty bread to mop up all those flavours
Enjoy!