My son’s wife, who loves good food, has been patiently waiting for me to cook a Steak and Cheese Pie. There have been jokes about me using a steel glove in the kitchen from now on. So I sat by the pool for a while. Sitting by the pool in November! When I was feeling brave enough I diced the steak very carefully.
My son has requested that we cook the meat in the crock pot as he likes the steak to be at the melt in your mouth level. So we are going to do this in a new way. I pan fried the meat first, and added Soya Sauce, Balsamic, Worcestershire and Beer. Then it cooked in the crock pot for the day!
I made pastry in the food processor the usual way. Freezer cold butter, twice as much flour, a little salt, chilled water. Whizz. Whizz. Push into a ball. Wrap and back into the fridge to wait.
Caramelised onion with red wine and rosemary. (This is a side dish)
You all know how to construct a pie. Sfter fter pouring in your meat and gravy into the pastry dot the meat with small cubes of a strong cheddar cheese, then the pastry. I will not go into details. This was served with rosemary potatoes.
Sorry John honey, but we are eating our steak and cheese pie out beside the pool. It is another stunning California day. But at least I am not bleeding!.
c
That’s beautiful pie decoration and a very nice, Hockney like, pool picture 😉
I love decorating pies! The flower is the Mama signature decoration! c
Yum!
How are your fingers?
My fingers are still covered but feeling better, I am working kind of cack handed but I have help!!.. c
I am not going to show DH this because that will mean he will want one asap! You know they do sell chain link mesh looking gloves just for the purpose of not slicing and dicing ones fingers 😉 By the pool indeed!
It is easy! DH would love it! c
A fine looking pie and a very inviting pool.
Thank you cindy!.. the pool is great.. c
That is the prettiest pie – and the flavours that went into it are just scrumptious!
🙂 Mandy
We will be eating it for a few days!! c
I’m impressed with your ability (with mangled fingers) to cut that steak AND cut the pastry into those beautiful decorations for that tasty looking pie!
Well it is all about the food! c
what happened to your fingers? Are you ok? Have i missed somethimg? oh I cant keep up. it all looks like Paradise from England in November… Xx
I was using my sons extra sharp knives, and we had blood in the kitchen! c
Ugh, still not healed up. Hope the Cali sun helps. I still need to make these pies!
You do Greg, I am sure my fingers will be better very soon. Love the pies! c
How beautiful! Delicious, homey, and comforting food – something we crave even in the warm, Californian fall :).
Thank you Saffron, it is a very popular pie! c
Gorgeous, gorgeous! Everything looks so…like I want to dive in to the pool and the pie. Now, as you are in California, I hope you are wafting around in white silk lounging pyjamas wearing dark glasses like a vintatge Hollywood starlet…!
Oh No, I forgot the lounging pajamas, but i certainly have the dark glasses! c
I missed the blog with the (cringe) knife cut finger?? In any event, feel soooo glad I didn’t miss this one, a luscious pie in all it’s brown bits glory and that pretty pastry flower on top… I wish I was at the pool and munching with you. Did you serve with wine??
A lovely local chardonnay! Very nice.. c
I know that a seriously self-sufficient farm girl is going to heal well from sheer will-power if nothing else! But I do hope it’s swift and complete. If it’s any consolation, my brother-in-law, who is a concert pianist and conservatory professor, did an even more thorough–um, remodeling–of his fingers with a table saw when remodeling at their cabin, and months later was on tour again. And somewhat chastened, perhaps. 😉
In any case, I can see that your gift for creating swoon-worthy meals with the full panache of Celi style is not impeded, and I am very glad for it. But dang it, hungry now too! It all looks *divine*.
Thank you honey and yes, i am very glad that i am not a pianist, even typing is a bit tricky, your poor brother-in-law! Though i would love to be at YOUR family gatherings, all that music with you husband and his brother present! .. c
It’s even better than you think, because this BIL is actually married to my baby sister, who’s a wonderful violinist, and Trygve’s 3 sons are all very musical, including the youngest, who’s a burgeoning Norsk rock star (guitarist). (Heidi and T’s daughter, our only niece, has the good sense and taste to be a visual artist!) Unfortunately the family gatherings with all musicians present are exceedingly rare, ’cause that’s the sister whose family lives in Norway, a bit of a commute for converging! Ah, well. I hear them all in my head, on CD, on YouTube, etc, as well as in my heart. 🙂
That sounds fantastic though.. how amazing to be able to hear your family music even when they are far away.. a wonderful connection.. c
Beautiful and you’re making me hungry…can I come over and sit by the pool? I promise not be cause any trouble. 😉
You can pop over anytime, bring the camera!! c
Beautiful pie! Too pretty to cut!
I know what you mean, i said to the others I reached for the knife. “Has everyone admired my pie?” then it is chopped up! c
What an amazing looking pie! I wonder what you can do when you’re hands are in full fighting form? 😉
I actually bought myself a steel glove, because I’m such a klutz. Not a proper expensive one, but a knitted one made with a thread that had a steel core embedded into it. It’s worked quite well – I break it out once a month, when the moon is in a certain part of the sky.. 😉
Sounds like a good idea! C
A great looking golden encrusted pie and made with that extra ingredient of love,,,looks like you’ve put those added loving touches with the decorations on top. x
I love to eat crunchy pastry leaves!! c
Ahh I wish I could go outside by the pool right about now. This Steak and Cheese Pie looks absolutely amazing. Very hearty and great for winter
So weird to eat winter food in the lovely summery fall! c
Great Hockney pool shot!
Thank you Roger! c
There’s nothing like Mom’s cooking!! You will be spoiling them!!
They put in their requests a few weeks ago so we have a plan.. c
I know others have said it before me but the pasty decorations are beautiful. I bet it tasted good as well.
It does taste so good! thank you.. c
I always thought a dip in the pool helped my cuts to heal faster…just a thought.
That pie looks too pretty to eat.
Almost. 😀
Almost indeed! c
Your food photos ought to be published in food magazines or in any magazine that features food articles. Ever thought about pursuing that photography option professionally? You ought to.
No i have never thought of that, there are so many good food photographers, and imagine the pressure!!.. but thank you for the wonderful compliment! c
How fun does that pool look right now! Seems pool weather is a million years away right now…
I know, when i get back home this will seem like a dream!.. c
That looks wonderful…and so does the pool! Enjoy your time there.
Thank you, i am.. c
That pie is beautiful! I envy you your decorating skills – and with 2 injured fingers, no less. I’m with your son. I love my crockpot! Still no word about farm animals run amuck. Either Daisy et al are behaving or they’ve managed to severe all lines of communication. I’ll let you know if I hear anything.
I bet Mary’s Cat was in charge of severing the lines of communication! I can just see that cat chewing through the telephone lines, way up high!.. they could be heading your way!!.. c
Totally Kiwi, who does not love steak and cheese pies!
so right.. c
Maybe I’m missing something here, being a Brit an’ all, but where’s the cheese come in? It all looks and sounds delicious so I’d like to try it without missing something vital! Maybe I could adapt it using venison for a more Scottish slant!
That’s what I was scrolling down to ask! In the pastry, perhaps? (Cheese straws are irresistible ) And your pie also looks deserving of that adjective. I agree about the long, slow cooking, but lacking a crockpot have to make do with hours in a low oven in my too-heavy-to-lift French cast iron cocotte.
venison pies are great too, and thank you. i so totally missed that part in the method, i shall go back and fix it.. dot cubes of cheese on top of the meat before putting the pastry top on! silly me! c
Thankyou! I feel a ‘Skye Pie’ coming on!!!
I’m dribbling and drooling. STEAK PIE. and a rich gravy. Life doesn’t get much better than proper homemade pies 🙂
I know, it went so fast! c
WOW! WOW! from which one I should start… the beautiful pool, amazing weather and delicious meal… Fascinated me. I want to jump into my screen like in a science fiction stories… Thank you dear Cecilia, Blessing and happiness, with my love, nia
thank you nia.. c
Yum! I have never had steak and cheese pie, a problem which obviously must be remedied very, very, soon. I’m going through one of my periodic “I hate cooking” phases, though, so I’m going to forward this along to my husband with a note that he has to make this for me. 🙂
Let me know when you are out of the I hate cooking phase! we can start slow!! c
This just looks scrumptious! Sorry to hear about the fingers and hope you are mending well. 🙂
I am definitely on the mend.. all good! c
Poor John, first he is home taking care of the farm. Then he has to worry about finger tips. After that, no warm weather and pool sitting. And finally he is missing this beautiful and tasty meal. Of course, I’m sure you left him just loads of wonderful things in the freezer.