A Perfect Summer Day

What a summer it's been so far! Wonderful, sunny weather - just enough rain to keep the flowers blooming in top form - and not too hot or humid either. Today's schedule includes another soccer game to attend, this time in the neighbouring town, so meal preparation is going to be minimal. Luckily, there's enough pastry dough and grilled steak leftover from yesterday to make a tasty steak pie, so when I get home from work this afternoon, I'll quickly chop the steak, dice some veggies, make some gravy, roll out the crust and throw together the pie. Then, pop it in the oven and Bob's your uncle!

Steak & Veg Pie
Pie crust for 2-crust pie
3-4 oz leftover meat, chopped fine (I used grilled steak and sausage)
1 baked potato, diced
1/2 c pearl barley
1 c. rutabaga, cooked and diced
2 stalks celery, including leaves, chopped
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c baby carrots, sliced in half
Fresh chives, basil, and rosemary, minced (2-3 tbs, to taste)
2 tsp Montreal steak spice
Gravy (see below)

Roll out enough pie crust to line a deep-dish pie plate. Place in dish and prick all over with fork. In large bowl toss all ingredients together, then pour into prepared pie dish. Roll out top crust and place on pie, sealing edges. Prick top to let steam escape. Bake at 450 F for 20 min, then reduce heat to 350 and bake 40-50 min longer.

Gravy
1/4 c butter
1/4 c flour
2 c beef broth
2 tsp summer savory
Pepper and salt to taste

Melt butter in saucepan over med-high heat; whisk in flour and continue whisking for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in beef broth, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Continue whisking for about 3 min or until gravy thickens. Season to taste.

Tonight's menu

Steak & veg pie
Tossed salad of mesclun greens, romaine, and cherry tomatoes
Blueberry pie

Bountiful Blueberries....

So many berries, so many options, so little time. The family is demanding blueberry pie, I am itching to try my hand at blueberry brandy, and then there is the ever-popular, ever-delightful blueberry pound cake.....meanwhile, the blueberries are disappearing handful by handful. My chauffeur duties resume tonight, meaning I only have a limited block of time this afternoon to get creative...so first off, pie.

Basic Pie Crust

1 lb lard
5 c flour
1 tbs salt
1 egg
2 tbs vinegar
water

In large bowl, cut flour and salt into lard until it resembles coarse crumbs. In liquid measuring cup, beat egg and vinegar lightly with fork. Add cold water until cup is full (i.e., 1 c of liquid). Stir liquid into lard mixture gradually until it forms a large ball. Divide into six balls (3 a little larger, 3 a little smaller).Flatten into disks and wrap each separately in plastic and chill in refrigerator at least 20 min. (Can be frozen for future use.) Makes enough dough for approx. 3 double-crust pies.

Blueberry pie

Pie crust, unbaked
3/4 c sugar
2 tbs cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt
1 tbs lime juice
1 tbs butter
4 c berries

Roll out 1 larger dough disk into circle big enough to cover pie plate and place it in. Trim to outer edge of pie dish. Prick dough all over bottom and sides with fork tines. Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Sprinkle over berries and toss to coat. Just before placing in pie dish, toss in lemon juice. Pour into pie dish and dot butter evenly over surface. Roll out top crust from a smaller dough disk. Using your index finger (or a pastry brush) moisten edge of dough in pie plate with water. Lay top crust over pie and trim edge so that it hangs about 1/2 inch over edge of dish. Press the two crusts together around rim of dish, then fold overhang under the lower crust edge and inside the pie dish. Crimp edges between forefinger and thumb all around the edge of the pie. Make a decorative design in top using fork tines to allow steam to escape. Bake at 450 F for 20 min. then reduce heat to 375 F and continue baking for another 40 min.

On the Menu Tonight...

Steak marinated in olive oil, red wine, and montreal steak spice, grilled on the barbeque
Baked new red potatoes
Beet greens and new carrots, steamed and served with butter and vinegar
Blueberry pie