This creation dates back to colonial times in America. The documentation comes from a tavern in Williamsburg, VA, but it's the sort of thing any tavern frau would have in her repertoire. Travelers could pay for a night's lodging with a duck, rabbit, or piece of venison, and all three make an appearance in this hearty dish's brown-stew filling. A modern substitution of rabbit, pork, and beef will work... and the proportions of the meats to each other are very flexible, as what was available to das frau would have varied from day to day as well. The outer flaky crust is delectable, and the whole concoction fits into a chicken-roaster sized covered dish. the best part is, like most colonial food, it just tastes better the next day. Even with all the work involved, Williamsburg Game Pie has become a family favorite.
Williamsburg Game Pie
Requires more than 1 day for preparation.
1 duck
2 lb. rabbit
2½ lb. venison roast or other meat
Salt to taste
½ C. vegetable oil
2 C. port wine
1½ quart brown sauce (See recipe below. Prepare the day before.)
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic minced
½ t. crushed black pepper
1 C. currant jelly
½ lb. mushrooms quartered
½ C. butter (margarine is not recommended)
1 lb. slab bacon cut into quarter-inch cubes
1 15 ½ oz. can pearl onions
2 eggs
¼ C. Milk
Pastry crust (recipe below. Prepare in advance.)
Prepare brown sauce the night before and refrigerate overnight.
Prepare pastry crust.
Pre-heat oven to 400o
Salt duck and place on a rack in a shallow roasting pan breast side up.
Bake duck for 30 min. at 400o. Reduce heat to 325o and bake until done.
Simmer rabbit in small amount of water for 60 min.
Cut venison into large cubes and sauté in vegetable oil until browned.
Remove venison and drain oil from pan.
Add port wine and boil for 2-3 min. scraping up any brown particles.
Return venison to pan and add the brown sauce.
Simmer for 45 – 60 min. or until venison is tender.
Cut the duck and rabbit into medium pieces, place in pan with venison to keep warm.
Season with Worchester sauce, garlic, pepper and current jelly.
Saute mushrooms in butter until light brown.
Fry bacon until outside is crisp, then drain fat.
Heat onions and then drain.
Mix half of onions into venison/duck/rabbit mixture.
Put into one dish, garnish top with mushroom, bacon and remaining onions.
Cover with pastry. Trim the edges and prick the top to allow steam to escape.
Beat eggs with a bit of water to make an egg-wash to glaze top of pastry.
Bake in 350 oven for 20 – 25 min. or until crust is golden.
Brown Sauce
¼ C. butter
1 C. all purpose flour
½ C. tomato puree
2 qts. hot beef stock
1 T powdered beef bouillon
1 T bottled browning and seasoning sauce. (eg: “Gravy Master” or “Kitchen Bouquet”)
Salt to taste
Melt butter in a 4 qt. or larger saucepan
Add flour, stir constantly until mix is chestnut brown.
It may be necessary to turn off heat at intervals so the flour does not burn.
When color is reached, add tomato puree and stir well.
Gradually add hot stock & powdered bouillon
Use a wire whisk to make smooth.
Bring mix to boil.
Reduce heat to low.
Simmer for 2 hours or until reduced to 1 ½ quarts.
Add bottled brown sauce and salt.
Remove from heat and strain in a fine sieve.
Cool to room temperature and refrigerate.
Pastry
3 C all purpose flour
1 t. salt
2 t. sugar
1 C. shortening
ice water
mix dry ingredients together.
Blend in shortening until a pebbly consistency
Store in covered container in refrigerator.
When needed, measure out amount, moisten pastry mix with enough ice water to hold dough together.
Roll out on a lightly floured board or cloth.
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
lockdown2001's Friends Page
accomplished
mellow
calm
amused
impressed