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Cornish Pasties
Cornish Pasties
To be a true Cornish pasty, they must meet the following requirements: The pasty has to be made in Cornwall. They can only contain beef, potato, rutabaga, onion, salt and pepper. No other meat, no other vegetables, no other seasonings. The ingredients must be raw when the pasties are assembled and then slowly baked to produce the traditional Cornish pasty flavor and texture. The edges of the pasties must be sealed by crimping them in traditional Cornish fashion.While I have failed with not living in Cornwall, England, the crimping, and the addition of beef gravy; the taste is 100% there. I’ve been making pasties for over 30 years since I was a child, and do consider myself an expert in this field. They do take a bit of work to make, but are well worth the effort. Any leftover pasties can be frozen and reheated in the oven.
Equipment
- food processor
- rolling pin
- pasty press
Ingredients
Filling
- 1 lb sirloin tip, top round, or top sirloin trimmed; cut into 1/4” cubes
- 1 lb potatoes peeled; cut into 1/4” cubes
- 8 oz rutabaga cut into 1/4” cubes
- 1 cup yellow onion finely chopped
- 1/4 cup flour
- salt and pepper to taste
- unsalted butter diced into cubes
- 1 large egg beaten
- beef gravy for serving
Pasty Dough
- 3 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 6 oz butter chilled; diced
- 4 oz lard chilled
- 2/3 cup ice water
Instructions
- Mix together the beef, potatoes, rutabaga, onion, flour, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
- Add the flour, salt, cold butter, and cold lard to a food processor. Pulse a few times until the mix looks like breadcrumbs. Slowly add in the ice water. Pulse until incorporated.
- Knead the dough on a floured surface. Cut into 4 equal pieces.
- Roll a dough portion to an 1/8” thick.
- Lay the rolled dough over the patty press. Scoop a cup’s worth of filling into the center. Add a tbsp of diced butter over the filling.
- Fold over and crimp. Alternatively, if you don’t have a pasty press, take a plate and place over the rolled out dough. Using a knife, cut around the plate to get a circular piece of dough. Scoop the filling and butter in the center. Carefully fold one side of the dough to the other and crimp with a fork.
- Lay the pasties on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush each pasty with the beaten egg wash.
- Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 40-50 minutes until golden brown.
- Ladle over a scoop of beef gravy for serving.
Pork Cordon Bleu
Pork Cordon Bleu
I grew up eating the frozen chicken cordon bleu that you can find at just about every grocery store. As an adult, I think the store bought ones are horseshit; so I learned how to make them homemade. I happened to have an extra chunk of boneless pork loin and decided to turn it into a cordon bleu, instead of using chicken. To no surprise, it was really, really, tasty. While deep frying it would drastically cut the cooking time, I baked it in the oven for 45 minutes. Your arteries will thank you later.
Equipment
- food mallet
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless pork loin cut into 2-8oz chops; trimmed of fat
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 4 slices deli Black Forest ham thinly sliced
- 4 slices Swiss cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Hammer each of the pork loin chops to 1/4” thick. Season each side with salt and pepper.
- Place 2 slices of ham, followed by 2 slices of Swiss cheese on one side of the pork loin.
- Fold the pork loin over the ham and cheese; tucking in the sides.
- Assemble the flour, egg, and breadcrumbs in separate bowls. Dredge the cordon bleu in flour, then egg wash, and finally breadcrumbs.
- Preheat the oven to 400°. Place the cordon bleu on a baking sheet lined in parchment paper.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes; flipping half way through.
Cheesy Grits
Cheesy Grits
Grits are originally an indigenous native staple, specifically the Muscogee (Creek) tribe, using stone ground corn to make a cornmeal mush. Early settlers learned how to make them; eventually adding cheese to the grits. Today, grits are a popular staple of the south. Cheese grits are one of my favorite sides; especially as an accompaniment to ribs, bbq chicken, fried shrimp, and pulled pork.
Equipment
- whisk
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup instant grits
- 2 tbsp butter plus more for serving
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 4 oz cheddar cheese plus more for serving
Instructions
- Continuously whisk together the grits, water, milk, and seasonings in a pot over medium heat.
- Once the grits start to thicken, whisk in the cheese and butter.
