Farmer's Pie

Good evening!  It is finally starting to feel like winter around here.  Even a little white stuff on the ground, a very little.  I won't complain, at the same time, I feel like we need one of those big, "give it to me good" snow storms where you can't leave the house for a couple of days.  I know, I know, some of you want to slap me right now but, don't worry, I am on the other side of your computer, you temptation will die. 

This pie, I am so excited to share with you.  Honestly, I don't really know why, but the idea all started with, Hunter's Pie, a British dish.  My mother in law, who lived in England for several years would make Hunter's Pie with birds or game my father in law hunted.  Ok well, there are so many things wrong with that idea to me, that I won't waste your time or mine.  No game.  No "shot it myself" birds, and did I mention no wild game?  I know traditionally only venison is used, but this was my late mother in laws way of doing it. 

As my husband was telling me, I had thoughts of more domesticated meat, pork, chicken, and beef in my mind.  Almost like sugarplums, and far from the shiver causing, gag reflex inducing idea of wild game or pheasant, or any of that "stuff" we had to eat as kids.  Oh yea, you thought I was just being nasty because I didn't like the idea of it, when the truth is, this is a lot of what we ate as kids.  Deer meat, never mind, I can't even go there.  My mom would try to sneak it in everything.  My son still tries to get me to eat it.  No, No, NONONONO. 

 

So in a nutshell I decided if I used pigs, chickens and cows, it could be a farmers pie.  A few potatoes and veggies as most farmers or their wives have gardens, and a cast iron skillet and pie crust could round it out.  Perfect, a Farmer's Pie! 

At first I thought this was completely wrong.  Wrong as in, the idea of serving a fried egg on top of a chicken breast, but then I decided, pigs, cows and chickens all get along on the farm, why not in my pie?

You will need:
1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. olive oil
8 ounces chicken, uncooked and diced
5 ounces beef, uncooked and diced
8 ounces pork, uncooked and you guessed it, DICED
1 tsp. minced fresh garlic
1/2 lb.  Yukon Gold potatoes, diced
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup green beans
1/2 cup beef stock
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tsp. dried parsley
1/2 tbsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. poultry seasoning
1/4 tsp. salt
black pepper to taste
3 tbsp. flour
1 pie crust (I used a premade one for this)
1-2 tbsp. milk (to brush on crust)

While I did this in my cast iron skillet, I am giving you directions to do it in a pot first, then pour into cast iron.  Okey dokey?

First of all, in a large measuring cup pour your chicken and beef stock together.  Add in parsley, onion powder, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper.  Mix to combine and set aside.

In a large skillet or pot on high, add in butter and oil, let the butter melt and add in all of your diced chicken, beef and pork.  Stir and let brown for 3-4 minutes. 

Turn down to medium heat and add in garlic, potatoes, carrots and beans.  Stir and let simmer for 2-3 minutes.  Add in flour and stir until the flour is absorbed, stir for 1 minute to cook off the raw flavor of the flour.  Now, add in stock, and let simmer a until the stock has thickened stirring a few times to combine.  

At this point you can pour it into your cast iron skillet or just a 9 inch round casserole dish.  Now lay the pie crust over the top of the filling.  You can be sloppy!  Just bunch it up here and there so there is just a little bit hanging over, and gently push to adhere to the edges and let it hang. 

This is a rustic pie, let it look that way!  Cut a few vent slits on the top.   Brush the top of the crust with milk and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. 

Let sit for 10 minutes before serving!

ENJOY!