Mini Mincemeat Pies
Recipe and Image by Esmeralda For more recipes visit: Recelandia.blogspot.com.mx
Mincemeat is a mixture of chopped dried fruit, distilled spirits and spices, and sometimes beef suet, beef, or venison. Originally, mincemeat always contained meat. Many modern recipes contain beef suet, though vegetable shortening is sometimes used in its place. Variants of mincemeat are found in Australia, Brittany, Canada, northern Europe, Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States. In some countries the term mincemeat refers to minced or ground meat.
Ingredients: Makes 10
- 4 0z lean minced beef
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tbsp + 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 oz carrot, grated
- 2 oz onion, finely chopped
- 1 0z frozen peas
- 1 oz mushrooms, finely chopped
- 50ml hot beef stock, mixed with 1/2 tbsp cornflour
- 11 0z shortcrust pastry
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- Sesame seeds
Instructions:
- Put the beef in a bowl with the soy, cinnamon and 1/2 tbsp oil. Mix well and leave to marinade for at least 15 minutes.
- Pour the remaining oil to a hot wok, then add the beef to brown for 3-4 minutes.
- Add the carrot, onion, peas and mushrooms, mixing together well for another couple of minutes. Pour in the corn floured stock, turn down the heat and leave to simmer for about 7-10 minutes. Take off the heat and allow to cool completely.
- Cut a third off the pastry and set aside. Roll out the larger piece onto a floured surface. Use a 3.5″ cutter to stamp out 10 rounds and transfer to line a cupcake tray.
- Spoon the mince mixture evenly into each pastry case. Gently brush a little beaten egg around the top edge of each case.
- Preheat the oven to 190 degrees C. Roll out the remaining third of the pastry. Use a smaller 3″ cutter to stamp out another 10 rounds.
- Place each round atop a case, and use a fork to crimp around the edges to seal together. Brush the tops with more egg and prick the fork through the top. Add Sesame seeds
- Bake for about 25-30 minutes until nicely golden.
Basic shortcrust pastry
Ingredients:
- 4 oz (110 g) plain flour
- pinch of salt
- 1 oz (25 g) softened lard
- 1 oz (25 g) softened butter
Instructions:
- Begin by sifting the flour and pinch of salt into a large bowl, holding the sieve as high as possible, so that they get a really good airing before you begin.
- Now add the lard and butter, cut into smallish lumps, then take a knife and begin to cut the fat into the flour.
- Go on doing this until it looks fairly evenly blended, then begin to rub the fat into the flour using your fingertips only and being as light as possible.
- As you gently rub the fat into the flour, lift it up high and let it fall back into the bowl, which again means that all the time air is being incorporated, but do this just long enough to make the mixture crumbly with a few odd lumps here and there.
- Now sprinkle 1 tablespoon of water in, then, with a knife, start bringing the dough together, using the knife to make it cling.
- Then discard the knife and, finally, bring it together with your fingertips. When enough liquid is added, the pastry should leave the bowl fairly clean.
- If this hasn’t happened, then add a spot more water. Now place the pastry in a polythene bag and leave it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to rest.
Recipe and Image by Esmeralda For more recipes visit: Recelandia.blogspot.com.mx
