Deconstructed Meat Pie

Do you ever spend all day dreaming about what you are going to eat for tea? No? Just me? Surely not!!! I spend a good deal of my day, doing two things at once, working... and day dreaming about food.

I like to challenge myself to take popular meals and turn them into something a little more interesting. I really hope I achieved my goal tonight with my deconstructed pie!

Deconstructing food is a really popular way of plating meals at the moment! I like trends, so decided to give it a go...

ALSO please forgive me... I am VERY new to this and keep forgetting to action shots along the way while I am cooking. I PROMISE I will get better :)

"PIE FILLING" AKA THE MEAT

Ingredients

Just double the ingredients if you need to feed more! This amount would feed roughly three!

500g of Gravy Beef (yep the cheapest cut of beef you can find is perfect)

1 Onion

2-3 Cloves of Garlic (or teaspoons if using jar garlic)

2 tablespoons of tomato paste

2 cubes of beef stock

1 cup of water

Few sprigs of rosemary

Sprig of Thyme (sprig... such a funny word)

Goooood pinch of salt

oil for sauteing (I used coconut oil but olive would be fine), about a tablespoon

Feel free to chuck in any other herbs or spices that take your fancy, perhaps a chilli, although what is described gives a really hearty delicious flavour.

Method

1. Dice your onion, and finally chop or grate your garlic.

2. Cut your meat into cubes or slices, whatever shape and size you prefer, really whatever takes your fancy.

3. Heat your oil in a saucepan at medium heat, once hot put in your onion and garlic and cook until soft then put in your meat to brown.

4. Boil the kettle and pour 250ml into a jug or glass and put in your two beef stock cubes.

5.Once the meat is brown, tip beef stock, tomato paste and your herbs in with the beef, and give it a really good stir.

6. Turn heat to low and let simmer with a lid on for up to an hour, stirring occasionally.

THE PASTRY

See Here...

Get your meat cooking before you start the pastry if you are short of time, or if you start cooking earlier in the day, you can make the pastry early and leave in the fridge to rest.

Once rolled out to about half a centimetre cut into rectangles, I cut 4 but I had halved the recipe. Use all the dough, as you can cook and store in an airtight container. Keep your edges nice and straight (simply for appearances). Place on a tray and put in the oven at 180 degrees and cook until slightly puffed and golden (will take around 30 minutes but keep a good eye on them)

THE CARROTS

I used whole carrots peeled and chopped in half. Put in a roasting dish with oil (coconut or olive) pop on some mixed herbs and here is a SECRET ingredient... maple syrup :O yep it's DELICIOUS! You could of course sprinkle some brown sugar over the top to get the same tasty effect.

Pop in the oven at around 180 degrees for 30 mins or until roasted.

PEA PUREE

1 cup of Peas, steamed

1 Tablespoon of coconut cream

Dollop of Mint (if using tubed herbs, or about a tablespoon if using fresh)

Pop all ingredients in a blender and whiz up until smooth

Plate up however your heart desires. I am really focusing on my plating to take super nice photos for my Instagram page (subtle hint, follow me @Reekarabbit) It did look better in person than it does here... I can only improve... right!?!

Stuff it in your face hole like Simon did! He literally licked the bowl clean haha!!

Happy Cooking! (From scratch)

Erica xxx