This week, saw Himself eating Steak and Kidney Pie.b’

This week, whilst in Buenos Aires, en route back from the most Southern point of land, before the Antartic, Cape Horn, ( we landed and have the stamp in our passports), we needed to find a real Argentinian steak restaurant, and we did.

On Posada in the Recoleta ( burial area of Eva Peron) District is Fervor. Fronted by security personnel, next to a neighbourhood bistro, which could have been a very good steak place, and cheaper, but this was our only chance and so we ventured forth.

The place was full, families with adult children, couples and groups, and even a young family with their one year old ( at 10 pm ?).

We were seated on the side next to a group of three, older, one of whom was English, the others local. The Englishman was eating, Steak and Kidney pie! Himself just had to have it. Be warned said, said our English neighbour, the taste is wonderful but is a bit dry, in fact very dry, there is no gravy! One then has to ask the question, how can you make Steak and kidney pie without the gravy ?

The waiter appeared and our neighbour asked for some sauce to go with his pie, gravy translates as Salsa, and Salsa is definitely Not a gravy. Salsa duly arrived, and both tables went No, No No, not salsa! Our waiter then asked ( through our neighbours) what we wanted. Himself then ordered the Steak and Kidney pie, on the proviso it came with extra sauce/ gravy, which indeed it did, and it was gravy of sorts, the cooking juices. Better than nothing, and so Himself proceeded to cut a hole in the top and pour in his gravy!

Me? I just chose the most delicious steak ever and am sure himself had food envy.

In hindsight he said ” perhaps it was a mistake ” I think it was, maybe a case of eyes being bigger than ones belly, I don’t know, but I have already decided that this he will have this weekend, once back installed in our Tower of London.

Here we are back in our ivory tower and Steak and Kidney pie has been made ! I made individual ones ( simply because I didn’t have a classic pie dish, but had some very nice small Le Creuset… thanks to son). Himself declared that it was wonderful, so much so that he had to eat two of them ! Willowy brunette and I had sole! Not for us Steak and Kidney !

with the following ingredients I made 5 smallish pies.

300 grams ready made puff pastry
300 grams steak
200 grams kidney
6 mushrooms ( optional)
2 onions chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
A knob of butter

For the Sauce

Cup red wine
Cup ruby port
Tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red currant jelly
Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste.

Trim the kidneys, removing fat and sinews, cut into smallish bits. Trim the steak, also removing fat and sinews and likewise cut into smallish bits.

Melt the butter, and sauté the onions and garlic. When soft remove from pan and add the steak and sauté to seal the edges. Add the kidneys and the onions,garlic and mushrooms.

Poor in the red wine and port and leave to simmer covered for about an hour, remove the lid, add the port and other sauce ingredients and boil rapidly to reduce the sauce to a thicker consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Leave to cool .

Rollout the pastry ( some makes come pre rolled) to fit your dish plus about 1/2″ extra to allow for shrinkage.

When the meat has cooled, pour into pie tin (s) cover with the pastry, beat an egg and wash the top of the pastry with it, so that it browns nicely. Make a small hole in the top, to allow steam to escape.

Bake at 200 C for about 30 mins until golden brown.