James Huston's Humble Pie

James Huston's Humble Pie Recipe

As James Huston explains in Humble Pie, the original dish dates back to 16th Century England and was called "umbles pie" — a meat pie made from deer umbles (the heart, liver, and miscellaneous innards). These less desirable meats would be taken home by the huntsman who killed a deer for a nobleman, while the nobleman would get the venison. The umbles would be baked into a pie to create a modest dish suitable for a poor man. To eat umble pie meant that you acknowledged your place in the social pecking order. A few centuries changed "umble" into "humble" and also brought about a significant change in meaning. Today, "to eat humble pie" refers to a change in one's circumstance, usually involving an admission of error and-or the making of an apology.

Chances are your family doesn't relish deer innards. This "modernized" humble pie uses steak instead.

Ingredients

Round steak — 2 pounds, cut into bite-sized pieces
Onion — one large onion, peeled and chopped
Carrots — two carrots, peeled and sliced
Parsnip — one parsnip, peeled and sliced
Bell Pepper — one red or yellow pepper, minced
Beef stock — 1 cup
Tomato juice — 1 cups
Minced garlic — 3 teaspoons
Cornstarch — 3 tablespoons
Spices — paprika (2 tsps), black pepper (1 tsp), salt (1 tsp), bay leaf (1)
Pie pastry — one package prepared pie pastry
Egg — one, beaten (to glaze pie crust)

*This up-to-date humble pie makes a great heat-and-serve meal that can be prepared in advance*

*The first step in making humble pie is to prepare and partially cook the meat filling mixture*

Season the pieces of steak with pepper, then brown the meat in a large skillet using a small amount of vegetable oil. Set the browned meat aside. Place the vegetables and garlic in the skillet and cook until softened. Return the browned meat to the skillet, add the beefstock, bay leaf, salt, remaining pepper, and tomato juice, and tomato juice and stir until hot. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and place in the oven for 1 – 1Ľ hours or until the meat is tender. Mix the cornflour with Ľ cup cold water and stir into casserole to thicken. Add the chopped pepper and simmer for 5 minutes. Cool well. (Note: pastry put onto hot meat will have a soggy layer underneath when cooked.) Place the cold meat mixture in a pie dish. Cover with rolled pastry. Brush with beaten egg or milk. Bake at 2000 for about 30 minutes, until pastry is crisp and golden. Cook’s Tip Add chopped herbs such as parsley or thyme to the casserole if wished. Serves 6 1 lb round steak, cubed 1/4 c all-purpose flour 1/2 ts salt 1/8 ts pepper 1 c regular strength beef broth 1 ea medium potato 2 ea medium carrots 1 ea small onion, minced 1 ea egg optional

Peel and cut potato in 1/2 inch dice. Peel and slice carrots. If using egg, beat with 1 Tbsp water. Mix flour, salt and pepper. Put in plastic bag with cubed steak. Shake until meat is coated. Save any remaining flour. Heat large skillet or Dutch oven with a little butter. Add meat. Cook, stirring frequently until browned. Stir in reserved flour. Drain mushroom liquid into a measuring cup. Add broth to measure 1 cup. Add to meat. Bring to a boil. Cover. Simmer, stirring frequently for 1 hour or until meat is tender. Add more broth if beef becomes dry. Turn into a 9- inch pie plate. Distribute mushrooms, potato, carrots and onion evenly over meat. Add 1/2 cup broth. Roll 2/3 of pastry in circle 1/2-inch larger than pie plate. Put on top of filling. Cut steam vents. Brush with water-egg mixture. Roll out remaining pastry and cut decorative shapes to arrange on pie. Bake at 400F for 35 - 40 minutes or until browned.