Ostrich and Asparagus Pies
For those who love a savoury meat pie, here we have something different as I have made these mini pies using fresh Ostrich meat. A very new meat on the market, offering taste, quality and nutrition without any hidden extra fats.
Ostrich meat tastes similar to lean beef and is low in fat and cholesterol, as well as high in calcium, protein and iron. Combine such a goodness with a few tasty vegetables and you have a complete meal in one pot!
Ingredients
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Stew
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350g ostrich meat- cubed
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2 medium red onions- peeled, cut into quarters
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2 cloves garlic
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3 tbsp olive oil
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150ml cider vinegar
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400ml stock- chicken or vegetable
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Pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper- to taste
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2 tsp dried coriander leaf
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125g button and Shitake mushrooms mixed- washed and cut into quarters
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300g fresh asparagus- trimmed and cut on the diagonal into 2cm pieces
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30g unsalted butter
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Pastry
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250g plain flour
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185g unsalted butter- chilled
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150ml cold water
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Topping
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Pastry decorations
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Egg wash- to glaze pastry tops
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Sprinkle of sesame seeds- optional
Instructions
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Make stew:
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01 In food processor: add onions, garlic and pulse to a coarse mixture.
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02 Heat 3tbs oil in a large pan, add diced ostrich meat and seal quickly on a high heat until golden brown. Remove and leave to one side.
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03 Now add the chopped onions and garlic (add extra olive oil if too dry).
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04 Replace ostrich meat plus any meat juices, vinegar, apple juice, salt, pepper, mushrooms and dried coriander leaves.
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05 Bring to simmering point and place uncovered in a medium hot oven for 40-45 minutes.
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06 Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the pan.
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07 Meantime lightly cook the asparagus in melted butter and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice for 1-2 minutes (do not over cook), remove and drain from buttery pan juices, and leave to one side to cool.
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Make pastry:
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08 Using a food processor process flour and chilled butter to a crumb. Add cold water and quickly process together to form a dough. Do not over process. Place in a plastic bag and leave in the fridge to rest 15 minutes or so.
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Assemble pies:
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09 Add the lightly cooked asparagus to the ostrich stew. Check seasoning.
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10 Fill 4 individual oven proof dishes with the cool ostrich stew (gravy and all) and top with circles of rolled out pastry. Brush with beaten egg and decorate as you wish with any left over pastry and a sprinkling of sesame seeds.
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To bake:
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11 Place pies in a hot oven and cook until pastry golden and crisp. Serve immediately with a salad or vegetable of your choice.
Notes
Don’t panic in the beginning if you have too much liquid as this will evaporate and condense during cooking leaving the ostrich succulent and flavoursome. The quantity of pastry will cover 4 x 10cm individual pots or one large pie dish with a generous amount of pastry - if you have left over make Jam Tarts, which we all know are just delicious.
