STEAK & STILTON PIE

STEAK & STILTON PIE

Sometimes, inspiration for certain pies can come from the most unexpected places.  I was doing some pre-planning for a work-related function recently and was rather disenchanted with some catering options proposed by a venue.  As I continued to work on the event details, I thought about the options offered for a dinner reception and how one particular dish could be made BETTER!  Thus, Steak & Stilton Pie came to mind, and this recipe was the perfect solution to our Sunday “What’s for Dinner?”

Stilton, for those perhaps unfamiliar, is a variety of bleu cheese, usually from England.  It’s not a traditional style of bleu cheese that you may have in a dressing accompanying your atomic-grade spicy buffalo wings, or gently crumbled into a salad.  Stilton has a milder bleu cheese taste, but some seriously sophisticated flavor that pairs well and plays nicely with a number of other foods.  It’s the nice kid on the playground of cheeses that will ask you to share their sandwich or cupcake, if you will.

Our friends in England are no stranger to this combination.  In fact, a number of Anglophile friends were excited to hear this was going to be featured.  It’s a time honored English favorite, even lending itself into gastronomic fashion.  A good portion of trendy, fashionable steak houses will offer a lovely addition to your filet or preference of steak cut by adding crusts of peppercorn, horseradish, or even bleu cheese.  For those of you who have tried steak prepared that way, it’s a lovely addition!  Fortunately, you can capture that tangy, creamy taste with your choice of beef, and not spend a small fortune on a steakhouse prices.

STEAK & STILTON PIE:

·         Pre-made 2-crust pie recipe

·         1 Lb. Beef Sirloin, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

·         Kosher Salt & Cracked Black Pepper

·         1 tsp. Vegetable Oil

·         1 Tbs. Butter

·         1 Medium Onion, Finely Chopped

·         2 Sprigs of Fresh Thyme, Leaves Removed

·         2 Medium White Potatoes, Cut Into 1/4 Inch Pieces (About 3 Cups)

·         1/4 Cup Stout Lager

·         1/2 Pound Stilton Cheese, Crumbled

DIRECTIONS:

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 400[°]. Season  sirloin pieces with salt and pepper.   Heat vegetable oil in a large stainless steel skillet over high heat until shimmering.   Add meat and cook without moving until well browned on first side, about 4 minutes.  Flip with tongs and continue cooking until well browned on all sides, about 12 minutes total. Transfer meat to a large bowl and set aside.

Return skillet to medium-low heat – DO NOT DRAIN LIQUID!   Add butter and heat until melted. Add onions and thyme and cook, stirring frequently and scraping up any browned bits with a spoon, until onions have softened, about 10 minutes. Add diced potatoes and stout and cover skillet with a lid. Cook until potatoes are soft, about 8 minutes. Add potato mixture to reserved meat and allow to cool to room temperature then add crumbled stilton. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Roll pie crust to 1/4-inch thickness.  Grease a 9-inch pie plate with baking spray, and place your pie crust dough into the plate.  Fill your pie crust with the beef and stilton mixture.  Roll out your second crust to ¼ inch thickness and place on top of filling.  Crimp/seal edges and pierce the top crust to allow for ventilation during baking time.  Allow to bake for 45 minutes, or until crust is an even, golden brown color.  Allow to cool for five minutes, then serve.