Interesting pie stories are hard to come by these days, so when my sister Jill, who is also the person who makes sure the commas and parentheses are in the right place in my posts, offered to be a guest pie blogger, I was thrilled! Go Jill!
On a cold January day in Washington, D.C., a friend invited me and two other members of our pandemic pod to join her for a winter luncheon. Throughout the pandemic, the four of us have observed CDC guidance as we gathered cautiously at safe distances for drinks on a balcony and a screened porch and even in a driveway. Over the summer, we became more adventurous and visited the National Gallery of Art where we saw favorite still life paintings of fruit and game and wine.
With most of our museums now closed and the weather preventing outdoor dining, the invitation for luncheon (with CDC protocols) was most welcome. This time, the work of art was a duck pie, a holiday gift to our host. She designed a colorful frame for the rich, savory main course with creamy mashed turnips, roasted red tomatoes and haricot verts. One of the pod members contributed a refreshing lemon posset, a custard-like dessert, that added a splash of yellow as the finishing touch for our repast.
People: Good friends in a pandemic pod who appreciate culinary and cultural artistry
Places: Washington, D.C. and its many attractions such as the National Gallery of Art 
Pies: Duck Pie. The duck pie brought to mind Jacopo Chimenti’s “Dispensa con Trancio di Cinghiale, Pasticcio Anatra” (Pantry with Slice of Boar and Duck Pie). When Chimenti was working in Florence in the late 16th century, game pies, which date to the days of the Roman Empire, were common subjects for still lifes. There was, however, nothing common about our duck pie. Its delicate crust was no match for the hearty, moist duck meat fused with foie gras and Alpine-style brine-aged cheese, all bathed in vin jaune. An accompanying sauce of black beans, butter and cider vinegar heightened the pie’s bold, complex flavors. Our host also offered ligonberry sauce to harmonize with the sumptuous entree. After this indulgent feast, we were all as happy as four peas in a pod!
To create your own masterpiece, try Debbie Major’s recipe from Sainsbury’s Magazine for Duck and Red Wine Pie.
- • 1 x 6 oz. smoked bacon lardons
- • 1 tsp sunflower oil
- • 6 large duck legs
- • 1 cup small shallots, peeled
- • 1 tsp any sugar
- • 3 tbsp butter
- • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- • 1½ cups plain flour
- • 1¼ full-bodied red wine e.g. Merlot
- • 2 cups beef stock
- • 1 tbsp redcurrant jelly
- • 1½ cups slender carrots, roughly chopped
- • 2 deep dish shortcrust pastry shells
- • 1 cup frozen peas
- • 2 tbsp mint leaves, chopped
- • 1 egg beaten
- Assemble to the end of step 6 up to 24 hrs ahead. Add an extra 10-15 minutes if cooking from chilled.
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Heat a large, flameproof casserole, add the bacon and oil and fry until crisp and lightly golden. Remove to a large plate using a draining spoon.
- Season the duck legs and fry on both sides until golden brown. Remove to the plate.
- Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the casserole. Add the shallots and fry until they begin to brown. Sprinkle with the sugar and continue to cook until richly golden all over. Set aside with the bacon and duck.
- Melt the butter in the casserole, add the garlic and fry for just a few seconds but don’t let it brown. Stir in the flour and then gradually stir in the red wine, beef stock and redcurrant jelly. Bring to a boil, stirring. Return the bacon and shallots to the casserole, rest the duck legs on top, cover and cook in the oven for 1 hour. Uncover, stir in the carrots, re-cover and return to the oven for a further 30 minutes, until the duck is very tender.
- Remove the pie shell from the refrigerator and let it to come to room temperature (about 30 minutes). Lift the duck legs out of the casserole and set to one side until cool enough to handle. Then discard the skin and remove the meat from the bones in chunky pieces. Skim all the fat from the top of the sauce then stir in the duck meat, peas, mint and seasoning to taste. Spoon the mixture into a deep dish pie shell with a rim. Place a pie funnel into the middle of the mixture and let cool.
- Preheat the oven to 400°C. Roll out the second pie shell on a lightly floured surface, then cut to roughly fit the shape of your dish. Brush the rim of the dish with a little beaten egg. Cut the trimmings into strips; press onto the rim. Brush with a little more egg. Cut a cross in the center of the top and lift on top of the pie, allowing the pie funnel to poke through. Press the edges to seal. Put the pie onto a baking tray, brush with beaten egg. Then using the back of a knife, score a diamond pattern on top.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden and the filling is bubbling.
