Fieldco LtdFieldco LtdThis recipe uses venison, but any red meat would be fine as this recipe is all about the kumara top.
INGREDIENTS:
4 tbsp cooking oil
400 g venison, small dice
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 carrot, peeled & diced
2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 tbsp flour
2 c water
1 tomato, diced
1 bay leaf
4 juniper berries, crushed
1 tsp salt
generous grind of black pepper
2 orange, gold or red Kumara (approx. 600 g – choose kumara which are long and narrow)
2 sheets puff or flaky pastry
40g butter melted
parmesan, grated
parsley, chopped
METHOD:
Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the venison, onion, garlic, carrot and thyme. Cook until the mix is frying. Add the flour stirring in well, then gradually stir in the water. Add the tomato, bay leaf, juniper berries, salt and pepper. Cook covered over a low heat until the meat is tender, generally 30 – 40 mins. Remove the lid and simmer until the meat sauce has reduced to a thick gravy. Cool, then refrigerate until ready to assemble pies.
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Bake the kumara whole in the oven or microwave until tender. Peel and let cool.
Cut rounds of pastry to fit the greased pie tins, press the pastry into the tins and trim the edges. Fill with the cooled venison mix. Slice the kumara, and overlap the slices on top of the pies. Brush with a little butter, and bake in the oven at 180°C until the pastry is cooked, around 30 mins.
Serve sprinkled with a freshly grated parmesan, chopped parsley, and a dollop of chutney.
Makes 4 small pies or one medium one.
