This is something I whipped up from what we had in the fridge AND in honor of my first Inspector Banks novel by Peter Robinson.
Usually you find me with nose in a cookbook, checking out new recipes and meal planning. But I have been known to toss a meal together with what inspires me. In this case, it was a book I read recently (the aforementioned) and a desire to use that one piece of puff pastry lingering in the freezer.
What would I order in a pub? (Besides a pint) Very possibly a meat and mushroom pie. Here is how I prepared two of them.
Ingredients on hand:
1 sheet of puff pastry
2 TB olive oil
¾ pound of steak, cut into bite sized pieces
A bunch of white button mushrooms, washed and quartered
2 medium sized leeks, washed and sliced
A handful of chopped parsley
Salt and pepper
Gravy
What to do, and what not to do………….
Do thaw the sheet of puff pastry according to directions on the package. Do not leave the pastry out on the counter to thaw too long. It ended up where I couldn’t unfold the pastry so I rolled it out (yes, in three fold form, all stuck together) as flat as I could. Live and learn, right?
Heat oil and cook the chunks of beef. Remove from pan and set aside. In beefy goodness, sauté leeks and mushrooms. Season with whatever you fancy (I used parsley, salt and pepper). Mix all this together.
Lovely leeks and white button mushrooms
Roll out the puff pastry and divide in two pieces. Spoon some of the beef-mushroom-leek mixture onto the puff pastry and fold over best you can. Bake at 375 for about 25 minutes. If you remembered to brush it with egg it will be all the prettier. I did not remember egg until later.
That’s it. A simple pub type meal.
Served with rich gravy, potatoes and tomatoes
You can be expecting more British cooking as I plan to read every one of those books in the Inspector Banks series. Review of Gallows View may be found HERE at Novel Meals.
I've just finished Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter so that will be my next novel inspired meal.
Cheers! Good eating and good reading to you. Linking this to Beth Fish Reads and her Weekend Cooking Series.
This is some serious comfort food! I can see why you were inspired to make it!
ReplyDeleteLast minute inspirations most of the times prove to be very tasty and homey just like this one!
ReplyDeleteThanks ladies, I will be making this again. You can a make it veggie style, Joanne!
ReplyDeleteNow that's what I call inspiring!!! i have some puff pastry lingering in the freezer that I have been afraid to "play" with. Once I muster up enough courage, I may give this, or something like it a try. (I'll never get it as good as you:)
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you have found a series of books that excite you. Can't wait to see what's next on the menu. Thanks for sharing, Tina...
I love cooking like that -- inspired at the last moment. I haven't yet read Inspector Banks but I've been meaning to.
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ReplyDeleteI just read about the author dying so jumped over to Goodreads to learn about the Inspector books and came across your review and this recipe! Small world and YUM!!!!! So did you end up reading all the books in the series?
ReplyDeleteJinjer, yes I have read all but the current one out. There will be one last book published in 2023. When I had a WP blog I would always make a dish inspired from the book and there is so much food in his books. Music too.
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