Tourtiere on steroids...

I try to pump out a few tourtieres every fall and freeze them for future use. Tourtieres are a traditional French-Canadian dish - basically a seasoned meat pie. I've always found them a little too dry and meaty for my tastes...so I made a few adjustments to the basic recipe. This is my version of tourtiere, not to be confused with the real thing, which does not contain potatoes or gravy.

Pie pastry - enough for two covered pies
1 lb ground pork
2 lb ground beef
1/2 lb bacon, chopped
1 large onion
1 bay leaf
1 tbs chopped garlic
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper, freshly ground
1/4 c chopped fresh parsley
2 tbs chopped celery leaves
1/4 tsp mace, cayenne, cloves
1 sachet beef oxo + 1/4 cup water
4 medium potatoes diced finely
1 1/2 cups gravy (2 tbs butter, 2 tbs flour, 1 1/2 c beef bouillon, salt and pepper)

In very large frypan, saute bacon till crisp. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add garlic, bayleaf, spices & herbs, pork, beef, and stir to combine. Sprinkle beef oxo over meat mixture and then add the water. Stir to combine. Meanwhile, microwave the potatoes for about 5-7 minutes and prepare gravy. Add potatoes and gravy to meat mixture. Stir to combine. Simmer over medium low for 45 minutes. Line 2 pie plates with pastry and prick over whole surface with fork. Spoon meat mixture into pie plates. Top with upper crusts. Bake at 425 F for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 and bake for a further 30 minutes. Bake one pie now, and freeze the other for later use - or bake both now and freeze one of the cooked ones - your choice.

Curried beef - just the thing for a miserable cold fall day

Had ground beef in the fridge; wanted something warming. Found this on the net: http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/1882/mince-with-black-eyed-beans.aspx . It was great - served with rice and asparagus, as well as tzatziki (no raita to be had) and pitas.

Fall Marketing

I was given a marvellous book recently (thank you Jasmin and Peter!): Nigel Slater's "Appetite". Inspired by the bit I've read so far and by the perfectly typical fall day that is underway, I set off for the local farmer's market with the intention of finding and enjoying some great produce. I'm cooking for one (or two if you count Granny next door) today, so I'm free to choose just about anything. For lunch today, I'm having fresh tabouleh, some slices of red Leicester and Dubliner cheeses, all from the market, a wholewheat Parker House roll from the hippy bakery in Houlton, Me (which was baked and purchased yesterday afternoon), and some of my own homemade tomato salsa. I also picked up a lovely head of red cabbage, some large white radishes, and some parsnips at the market. Tonight I'm planning on cooking some curried cabbage, glazed chicken breast, roasted parsnip, and new potatoes, with beet greens on the side. Tomorrow, if all goes well with Patrick's hunt, we'll be dining on roast partridge....