Tallow Pastry Steak and Mushroom Hand Pies

Leave a comment

36490580_461083071021128_7139504027103920128_n.jpg

 

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 tablespoon Baking Powder
1 1/2 cup cold Tallow, rough chopped (beef fat that has been rendered from Suet)
8 tablespoons Whole Milk
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon Onion Powder
1 teaspoon Salt

Equipment:
Food Processor
Standard/Large Cupcake Tin

Instructions:
1) Pulse everything but Milk and Tallow in a food processor.
2) Add Tallow and pulse until mixture is mostly incorporated into a course meal.
3) Put this mixture into a large bowl and add Milk, stir with a spoon or form (if you use your hands the Tallow will melt from the heat in your hands).
4) When fully combined into a smooth slightly tacky dough wrap tightly with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. I pressed mine to about 2 inches thick and it took about 45 minutes in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

5) Turn out dough onto a well-floured surface and roll til about 1/4 inch thick
6) In a well greased large cupcake tin press in the dough. This is more forgiving then a butter dough and you can press it together if there is a small hole or tear. I pressed it in firmly in stripes to about 1/4 inch thickness.
7) Fill with whatever you want, I cooked some steak and mushrooms then tossed in gravy then cooled but it’s up to you. It’s recommended to have some kind of thickened sauce since the dough can be dry to some.

TIP: When stuffing your pie make sure the filling is fridge cold, if it’s warm it’ll melt the tallow (fat) before cooking and the crust will be soggy.
8) Brush the top edge with whisked eggs and place a round of dough on top. Press the edges with a fork to seal. Brush the top with the whisked eggs and place in the oven til dough is golden brown (about 30-45 minutes). I sprinkled the tops with Black Pepper, Rosemary, and Large Flake Sea Salt.

Egg and Goats Milk Bread

Leave a comment

IMG_20180629_011320_858.jpg

I used Powdered Goats Milk for this because 1) It’s hard to get fresh here 2) It’s shelf stable and 3) It seems to work better with this recipe than fresh. You can also omit the milk altogether and it’s very close to Challah.

Ingredients
2 teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
1 cup Warm Water
5 cups AP Flour
1/4 cup White Sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons Powdered Goats Milk (keep the 1/2 Tablespoon for the egg wash)
2 teaspoons salt
2 Large Eggs
1 large Egg Yolk (keep white for egg wash)
1/4 cup Vegetable Oil

Equipment
Standing mixer
Large mixing bowl
Baking sheet
Parchment paper

 

IMG_20180629_013805_574.jpg

 

Instructions:

1) Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and let sit about 5 minutes, if it does not foam toss and try again this means the yeast is dead.

2) Combine all dry ingredients in your mixing bowl and whisk together.

3) Add the eggs, yolk, and oil and mix until flaky.

4) Mix the yeast into this until uniform then knead for about 10 minutes with a dough hook on a low setting. It should be elastic and not sticky to the touch, if it is sticky then add in more flour by the tablespoon until it is not so or water if it is too dry. It should be closer to salt water taffy when done.

5) Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place somewhere warm. Let the dough rise until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1 1/2 hours depending on the temperature in your home. If it’s too cold I’ve found placing the bowl on a folded tea towel over the pre-heated oven helps but only in winter.

6) Separate the dough into three equal pieces and roll out into about 1 inch thick tubes.

7) Braid the dough tightly like it was hair and lay on a baking sheet (I do it right on the baking sheet) that is lined with parchment paper and lightly oiled.

8) Let rise for about 1 hour until puffy or double in size.

Pre-heat the Oven to 350 degrees

9) Brush the challah with the egg wash: egg white, a splash of water, and 1/2 tablespoon Powdered Goats Milk

10) Bake 30-40 minutes turning about 15 minutes in until a dark golden brown.

Steak and Veggie Tacos

Leave a comment

35544778_1421985381235709_6561526305236451328_n.jpg

Ingredients:

Steak:
1/3 Cup fresh Lime Juice
1/3 Cup fresh Orange Juice
1/3 Cup fresh Lemon Juice
1 Large white onion (shredded)
2 Tablespoons chopped Garlic
2 Tablespoons Mexican Oregano
1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1 small diced Jalapeno
Salt and Pepper to taste
3 pounds sliced Flank/Skirt/Tenderloin/Round Steak

Veggies:
1 each sliced Red/Yellow/Green Bell Peppers
1 sliced Red Onion

For Cooking:
1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil

Equipment:
1 Large Ziploc
1 Large Pan (heavy bottom is always best)

Instructions:

1) Mix all together but Bell Peppers and Red Onion in the ziploc bag and let marinate in the refrigerator for about 1 hour
2) Drain the meat well and heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat
3) Add in the meat and don’t stir for about 1 minute
4) Add Bell Pepper and Onion then toss quickly and let cook in one minute intervals without stirring tossing every one minute or so (this helps your meat and veggies get some color). In total cook about 5-8 minutes until done to your desired amount (medium about 6 minutes).

Serve with steamed tortillas and any other toppings like salsa/sour cream/lettuce/sliced jalapenos/cheese

Mini Vegetable Pierogi

Leave a comment

32374041_166768894020308_4365701086628020224_n

Ingredients

Filling:
1 Tablespoon Shredded Yellow Onion
2 cups cold Stiff Mashed Potatoes
1/2 cup drained and towel dried chopped Sauerkraut
1/2 cup shredded Carrot, towel dried
1 cup Drained Ricotta (wrap in cheesecloth then hang over a bowl for abbout 1-2 hours)
1 teaspoon each Salt and Pepper

Dough:
2 1/2 cup AP Flour
1 whole egg
2 teaspoons Butter
3/4 cup warm Water
Pinch Salt and Pepper

Equipment:
Large Pot
Dumpling Press
Rolling Pin
Hand Strainer
Pasta Strainer
Large Heavy Bottom Pan

Instructions:

Filling:
Mix all but Cheese

Dough:

1) Mix together then knead until smooth.
2) Divide into 2 parts and let rest in refrigerator
3) Roll out the dough til very thin.
4) Cut into a round with a biscuit cutter or the back side of a dumpling press
5) If using a dumpling press line it with plastic wrap, put a rolled out round in, put a small amount of filling and a dime sized piece of cheese, then press together. Set aside on a floured tray til done.

If doing so by hand: place a small amount of filling and cheese in the center then press edges together firmly.

6) bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook in batches for about 5 minutes. Using a hand strainer place them in an oiled pasta strainer.

7) You can sear them off in a large heavy bottomed pan with some butter and a splash of vegetable oil for a nice crunch.

 

Variations: You can add just about anything you want as long as the filling does not get too moist. Like with the Stiff Mashed Potatoes if they are runny or have too much milk they will cause the wrapper dough to be soggy or come undone during cooking.

I like to add seasoned/strained ground pork and shredded apples for example.

Homemade Naan

Leave a comment

20180514_210614.jpg

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Warm Water, a little above room temp too hot and you’ll kill the yeast
2 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
2 1/2 cups Bread Flour
1/4 cup Olive Oil (or vegetable oil if you want a lighter taste)
1/3 cup Unflavored Yogurt, (I used Skyr)
1 large egg
Pinch Salt
About 8 teaspoons Clarified Butter (Ghee)

Equipment:
1 large Heavy Bottom Pan
Rolling Pin

Instructions:

1) In a large bowl mix together: water, yeast and sugar. After the yeast is dissolved let it sit out for about 3-5 minutes, it will develop a thin foam across the top of it. If no foam ever appears toss it out and try again, No Foam = Dead Yeast
2) Separately whisk together the Oil, Yogurt, Egg, and Salt until partly combined (mine was still a little broken and not smooth. Add in to the bowl with yeast and lightly whisk.
3) With a large spatula mix in the flour 1/2 cup at a time until all mixed. Knead for about 10-15 minutes adding flour to your surface so it does not stick until it is a smooth pliable dough. Cover with a thin hand towel (mine are a thin linen) or tea towel and let rise one hour or until about double in size.
4) Divide the dough into 8 pieces cutting it with a sharp knife (this severs the gluten strands instead of stretching them and giving you uneven pieces). On a lightly floured surface, roll out each piece into a thin circle or oval as best you can with your rolling pin (heck in a pinch I’ve been known to use a wine bottle as a makeshift rolling pin, whatever works I say).
5) Cook each Naan in your heavy bottom pan over Medium or Medium High Heat (I used Medium but my range tends to run a little hot) and a teaspoon of Ghee in the bottom of the pan. I found it took about 3-5 minutes per side on the first side using the Pancake Rule my Mother taught me: Once bubbles stop forming wait one minute for a big pancake then flip.

20180514_210512.jpg
6) Once one is done wrap it lightly with a thin hand towel and start the next one to keep the done ones warm.