COMFORT FOOD Part 1 - PIE!

Well Autumn has arrived in Melbourne and I keep humming that song ['all the leaves are brown and the sky is grey' ..except there has been some blue skies and sunshine recently!]. As the weather gets nippy and the chilly winds bring out the heavy knitwear around me, my thoughts turn to Comfort food and spending cosy nights in curled up with a good book.

Pictures of Carlton gardens in Melbourne

1. Shim's Pie

They say a Shepard's pie is made with minced lamb and a Cottage pie is one with beef. Well Shim's pie can be made with either and the method is exactly the same - it just depends what you find and what you can afford. As it happens I used lean Beef in this one! You need a good oven and a deep Pie dish... Mmmmmm PIE.....

Ingredients:
Lean Beef Mince
Onions x 1 large peeled and finely diced
Carrots x 2 large [or 4 small] peeled and finely diced/grated
Celery Sticks x 2 large [or 4 small] peel off fribrous outside and then finely dice
Garlic x 2 fat cloves grated/crushed into a paste
Can of chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons of tomato puree
A couple of anchovy fillets [optional] finely chopped*
A glass of red wine [optional]
Herbs [rosemary, thyme and parsley - The holy trinity of herbs]
A pinch of crushed red chillies
A couple of dried bay leaves
Salt and Black pepper
A pint of stock [beef/chicken]

Recipe for the Meat Sauce/ragu:

1. First get the mince in a hot pan with 1 tablespoon of oil [preferably canola/rapeseed OR Olive]
2. Allow 10 min frying time on a medium heat [1st the water will evaporate then the meat will start to caramelise and brown - don't stop when it looks grey - be patient and keep stirring to break up the mince and wait for it to really colour]. Then drain in a colander to get rid of all the fat.
3. In the same pan soften without colouring the onions [with a tiny pinch of salt to make it sweat rather than caramelise].
4. Then add the carrots and the celery. After a couple of minutes add garlic, chilli, finely chopped rosemary, thyme leaves & anchovy fillets [chopped up finely].
5.After a few minutes return the meat to the pan - turn the heat up and add the red wine if using and bubble off the alcohol.
6. When most of the red wine has dissapeared add the can of tomatoes, puree, bay leaves and stock. Mix well and bring to the boil. Turn it down to the lowest heat and cover. Slow cook this for at least 1- 1.5 hours. Stir it occasionally and check for seasoning right at the end. You should have a reduced, thickened, glossy meat sauce that melts in the mouth.
7. Take the bay leaves out and allow the ragu to cool.

*Anchovy fillets give that umami taste that chef's always talk about - it disintigrates in the sauce and there is no fishy aftertaste but it lends a deep rich flavour to beef/lamb which is incredible. Nutritionally speaking you are also getting some good omega 3 from the fish and calcium from the soft bones.

The meat sauce or ragu can be used with pasta/ in chilli con carne/mousakka and can be frozen to use another day. If you are using a batch for a pie then here's how to make a great mash for the topping:

Recipe for Mash

Ingredients;
Potatoes - peeled and sliced thickly
Olive oil/ rapeseed [canola] oil OR Butter
Some milk
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
Salt
Egg Yolk [optional]

1. Boil the potatoes in clean fresh cold water for about 15min - check it is soft before draining. Allow to sit and drain and dry slightly for about 5 minutes.
2. Add a dash of milk to the hot pan you used to boil the potatoes in just to slightly warm up the milk.
3.Add the potatoes to it and mash or use a potato ricer for a lump free outcome
4.Add the fat - I use olive oil like the Spanish do [or canola oil if I can't afford olive].  

*I have stopped using butter because of the saturated fats but we all know that it will give you a superb result if you use tonnes of butter [it is up to you and your waistline]. I tend to add a couple of tablespoons of oil at a time and check it is the right consistency.

5.Mix in well and adjust thickness [if it is too dry add a little bit of milk. it is best to add a little at a time because if it is too runny then the only way to rectify it is to add more potatoes - which is a pain at this stage of the game!].
6. Add the mustard and some salt to season and mix well. Set aside to cool down.
7. I have on occasion after cooling, added an egg yolk to make the mash more luxorious. It is up to you whether you want to do this. I find it helps bind the mash and give it a glossy outcome.
8. When you are ready, preheat the oven and assemble the pie. Rake grooves on the mash with the back of a fork [to increase surface area for browning]. Pop it in the oven at 180 degrees [fan] for 45min until bubbling and golden. You can colour the mash more if you stick the dish under the grill for a few minutes before allowing it to rest. It will probably be as hot as a volcano to eat straight away - so distract yourself by getting some frozen peas on to the boil or making a green salad to accompany the pie!

Garnish with chopped parsley if you have it and serve on its own or with lightly boiled peas or a green salad!

OPTION FOR LOW CARBERS:

I like to use Cauliflower mash instead of Potatoes. All you do is boil or better still, steam the cauliflower florets. Then mash up with a tablespoon of olive oil, a teaspoon of dijon mustard and some seasoning of salt and black pepper. Mashed cauliflower is a great carb substitute. You can use it instead of rice or potatoes in a meal. It is low fat and full of vitamins and fibre.

THE NUTRITIONAL POINTS:

Beef/Lamb - Using lean means less saturated fats and using the method of draining out the fats also renders this recipe quite saintly. The meat will give you great protein and a source of Iron that is easier to absorb than through vegetables.

Lots of people [especially women] can become Iron deficient very quickly which can lead to anaemia [Iron is needed to produce Red blood cells. If you are low on either you will experience Iron deficient Anaemia which results in all sorts of symptoms like chronic fatigue, restlessness, reduced concentration etc.]. It is harder to absorb Iron from vegetables [It is found in green leafy veg like Spinach] unless you add a Vitamin C to it - So next time you eat your greens add a squeeze of lemon to it so that it is better absorbed!

There is lots of fibrous veg in the sauce which not only bulks it out but gives you a greater degree of satiety [as well as helping your digestive system to function properly]. Cooked Tomatoes give you more lycopene antioxidants which are very good for you [protects against cancers they believe - especially prostrate cancer according to recent research] as opposed to raw tomatoes! There is vitamins in potatoes too but lets face it, the mash is just for real cosy comfort right?