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7.18.2009

Not Quite Australian Meat Pies and How I Met Certain Someone


Who is this Woman and what does she have to do with Certain Someone?
Why this woman would be a Gabi, my dear Australian friend who is responsible for this blog and how and how I met Certain Someone. Gabi is from Australia, Adelaide to be exact. And she introduced me to world of blogging. After a dinner at my house she sat down at my computer started blogging and I was hooked. My first blog Diary of a Shop girl morphed into Coco Cooks.
So what does she have to do with Certain Someone? Well I had a disastrous affair with an Australian man, one of those bad boy phases every woman must go through before she finds that Mr. Right.That man was a good friend and colleague of Gabi's. The man and I parted ways, but I gained a good friend in Gabi. Gabi had other friends too, a whole expat community in Chicago, and through them at a dinner party I met him. Certain Someone. A tarot card reader was at the table to even confirm it 'was him'.So you see everything and everyone in your life has a purpose, no matter how short the time.
Gabi moved back home to Australia this month. Her father, a regular and somewhat quiet reader of Coco Cooks has been suggesting to me from the beginning to make some Aussie food. Real stick to your bones type of food. I always think of modern Australian food as a melting pot with heavy Asian and Greek influences due to the current populations.And lets not forget the incredible wines! But pure Australian food would conjure up vision of meat pies,pavlovas,lamingtons, lamb and such. I could take the meat pie even further and float it on split pea soup. Gabi was quick to say Australians do not" throw shrimps on the barbie, drink Yellowtail, or Fosters". That's some American stereotypes perpetuated by Crocodile Dundee and Outback Steakhouse. Although they do eat Kangaroo and Moreton Bay Bugs ( delicious if you get some by chance). So hopefully one day Certain Someone will take me to this fascinating Continent and country. In the meanwhile I leave with my version of meat pie which is more Jamaican meat patty than Australian. Those African roots keep slipping through my cooking. Australians use puff pastry on top and short crust on bottom. I wanted more of a hand pie so I used a short crust and colored it with with some Turmeric. I also used some Palm oil( another African ingredient) and some red lentils for the filling with the beef. Australian meat pies have beef and gravy fillings and are served with a squeeze of ketchup on top. Look and see most places on this each have a version of meat pies. Empanadas for Latin America, Jamaican meat patties, Cornish pasties, samosas,etc. All good stuff.

Coco's Not Quite Australian Meat Pies



Short Crust
1 cup /100 grams all purpose flour
1/2 cup/50 grams Atora( suet) or butter or shortening
3 tbsp cold water
1 tsp turmeric
pinch of salt
1 egg beaten with milk for wash before baking
In a stand mixer mix flour, Atora, turmeric,salt and water until combined. Form into a disc, wrap ,and chill for a few hours.

Filling
1 lb ground beef
2 onions chopped fine
2 tbsp Palm Oil or regular vegetable oil
1 tsp curry
1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste* I used Mrs. Dash salt free seasoning blend/Spicy Blend
1 tomato chopped
1 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup red lentils
water
In a skillet brown ground beef with onions in Palm oil. Drain any excess oil.Add curry and cumin, salt, pepper. Add tomato and tomato sauce. Let simmer. Add red lentils and bit more liquid( ie: water if needed). Cover and let simmer until red lentils are done. 15-20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Take out pastry dough. Roll out on floured surface and cut into circles based on your size preference. I made small ones . Brush edge with egg wash and fill with meat filling. Turn over close and seal with a fork or crimper. Place on parchment lined baking sheet. Brush each pie with egg wash. Bake for 10-15 or until golden. Serve with ketchup if you like( Aussie style).We used German curry ketchup.


For a printable version click here.
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Check out my latest post on EbonyJet.com about my latest travel adventure in the Pacific Northwest ( Vancouver and Seattle).

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19 comments:

Thistlemoon said...

These meat pies look awesome, Courtney! I love the sound of the filling - and the color of the pastry!

I also agree that each person that comes into our lives has a purpose!

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

I firmly believe that all things happen in life for a purpose. You met Certain Someone and the rest is history.I hope he whisks you off to Australia some day SOON!!!

Judy@nofearentertaining said...

Those meat pies look great Courtney! I love how we met stories too!

Beth said...

Wait a sec! CS is Australian??? I'm going to OZ in January, and I need some tips! My sister and brother-in-law are living in Melbourne for a few years for his job. Can't wait to see them and the place!

maybelles mom said...

I am glad that your African roots come through--I think anytime you use your own experience, it has to be good.

glamah16 said...

No Beth, CS is German. But we met through an Aussie /English conncection.

Anonymous said...

That looks soooo delicious! Now i have a new recipe to try!

Anonymous said...

Yum, yum, yum! I love meat pies. I like the idea of your using palm oil and turmeric. Yum, yum, yum!

Oh, and I enjoyed reading about Gabi and how you met a Certain Someone. ;-)

Paz

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

A wonderful post! It is interesting to know how you started blogging, met gabi and a certain someone...

Those meat pies look scrumptious!

Cheers,

Rosa

kilabyte said...

Courts, these pies we are going to make too. They look more like a pasty but they are going to taste like no pasty we've had before - one of the real treats that comes from what I call "fusion cooking". Take a staple, infuse it with imagination and enjoy.

The Gabster says Hi and if CS brings you here then we will finally meet in person .... and I'll show you how to properly cook kangaroo.

linda said...

Lovely story about how you guys met.
Delicious meat pies, love this kind of food though I never make it.

Susan said...

Ah, yes, the bad-boyfriend phase. I look back and cringe sometimes at my train wrecks, but it can make you appreciate the good guy all the more. Glad you found yours, especially via tarot card. ; ) How cool is that?!?

Those pasties look mighty tasty!

The Caked Crusader said...

Great post! I totally agree - you never quite know how a person can change your destiny

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

These meat pies look fantastic! So yummy.

Liked reading about how you and CS met.

kellypea said...

Great story, Courtney. I always enjoy hearing about how people meet their significant others. Except I know you didn't intend to call your good friend "food." Hahahaha! Doncha just love typos? The meat pies sound so yummy and make me think a bit of Cornish pasties. Delish!

Anonymous said...

Oh wow. Those meat pies look delicious. Is it wrong to crave meat pies at 10:30pm? Your fault! :)

Nice little story! And for all these years i thought i was the ONE but i guess certain someone ran faster on the finish. ;) Oh well.

Homemade Heaven said...

My sister is an Australian - I have not seen her in 9 years. I wish I could make these pies and share them with her!

~~louise~~ said...

I'm a firm believer in the notion that everything happens for a reason.

Thank you for sharing your intimate story with us Courtney. I hope you don't mind but I just have to include this link in the Empanada Day post I did a while back. Your "African roots" slipping through is just what I LOVE about this recipe and your blog!

Cynthia said...

That's a mighty good looking patty and thanks for introducing us to Gabi!