PML - Pie, Mash & Liquor

[Caz]

And now for something completely different.   

I recently joined the Pie, Mash & Liquor appreciation society on Facebook looking for a recipe as it's been about 4 years since my last indulge in this London delicacy and was feeling in the need of binge.  Mum used to give us 6d each to go down to the pie & mash in Hornsey Road once a week, much later I learnt is was so she could see her boyfriend in peace.      

Every day there are lots of pictues taken in the variouos eating houses in and around London and it was driving me insane keep seeing the deliciouos dish which is not available over here.  Luckily someone sent me a recipe as I mentioned my lust to sample PML again and today I created my first batch of pies and liquor etc and oh, was it good, yum, yum, yum.


The first batch of pies.




The completed meal and oh boy, was it good




Here's a link to the Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/3400410346/

[Bealman]

 

Ha ha! Good one, Caz! Making me hungry just looking at it! (Not bad considering it's 8am here)

I hope that bottle of sauce isn't the liquor, though! 

[Portpatrick]

In my days working for BR and based at Waterloo there was a pie eel and mash establishment off the Waterloo Rd between the Old Vic and Young Vic.  Cooke's I think.   Never went into the place .  The sight and smell of the eels turned me over!

[MalcolmInN]

And now for something completely different.   

I recently joined the Pie, Mash & Liquor appreciation society

Luckily someone sent me a recipe

Here's a link to the Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/3400410346/

Looks exellent 

I remember from my youth lots of meals involving "mince" especially lots of cottage(&similar) pies, I often wonder what went into the mince. Probably best not to ask  !
I also remember Tripe & Onions, disgusting, Mother would, under protest, cook it for Father from time to time; but us kids would leave home for a couple of days while the smell hovered !

I cant see the facebook page it wants me to log in    I wonder if we will get lucky and someone will post a recipe here hint !

[Malc]

Being from a bit further north than London, I have never visited a pie and mash shop. I understand the concept of pie and mash. My dear departed mum was a pastry cook and often made steak, mince or even apple pies. However, we had the savoury pies with gravy and mushy peas. So @Caz , can I ask what that liquor is made of.

[GrahamB]

For me there's only one Pie and Mash shop - http://www.manze.co.uk/ and that's in Tower Bridge Road where I grew up.

[Caz]

Below is a video of Joe Cooke, the great grandson of the first pie and mash maker showing how he makes his pies etc.

The meat in the pie is only ground beef (minced beef), no onions etc.  The bottom pastry is basic suet pastry (self raising flour plus suet (Atora) whereas the top, although suet pastry is then made more flakey by spreading a thin coat of lard onto the pastry, folding over, rolling again.  Repeat the spreading, folding and rolling 3 or 4 times to make it more flakey than the bottom.

For the filling I copied what Joe Cooke shows in his video where he mixes the meat with a little water, adds a little salt and pepper and then some gravy browning to aid with the colour of the meat and cooks from raw in a very hot oven.  Some people cook the meat first, you pays your money and takes your choice.  My oven wouldn't get to the temperature he advises (550F/285C) so I just cooked them a little longer, about 20 minutes as my oven only got to 240C

Traditional Pie & Mash shops also sell both hot eels and jellied eels (not keen myself) and the juice from cooking the eels was used in the making of the liquor but I just use a fish stock cube.  For the liquor use a good knob of butter (50 grams) in a pan, add 5 tablespoons of plain flour and cook on a low heat for a few minutes but don't burn, add a 2 pints of stock and whisk continously to ensure no lumps (halve measures for 1 pint).  When you've got the right consistency add a big handful or 2 of freshly chopped pasley, cook together for 5/10 minutes, again stirring to stop lumps.

Cook and mash your potatoes and you're ready to go. 

Traditionally Pie & Mash was eaten with a sprinkling of salt, white pepper and "non brewed condiment" which is a type of vinegar but it is NOT malt vinegar (Iceland sell it). Most P&M shops offer both plain non brewed and chilli non brewed vinegar which has some hot chillies in the bottle (chilli vinegar).  The purists eat the dish with a fork and spoon (no knife) and also turn the pie over before eating so the flakey crust soaks in the liquor.

Wonder whether this should be in tutorials 

[Portpatrick]

Thanks Caz.  That looks like the one I used to pass.   The pie and mash looks good though I would want a more conventional gravy

[Caz]

Thanks Caz.  That looks like the one I used to pass.   The pie and mash looks good though I would want a more conventional gravy

You would be escorted from the premises if you asked for "gravy", I love my gravy with a roast or shepherds pie, but it has to be liquor to be a proper Pie & Mash.      Try it sometime, you'd be surprised at how tasty it is.

[Newportnobby]

I have a feeling my cardiac consultant would have a conniption fit if I even mentioned this

[MalcolmInN]

I have a feeling my cardiac consultant would have a conniption fit if I even mentioned this

Have faith my son, in your statins, and carry on   I am and am going to give instruction to my Pastry Chef forthwith 

[MalcolmInN]

Wonder whether this should be in tutorials 

recn so !
Thanks for that, especially the pastry destructions, I shall pass that on to the relevant authority

[njee20]

"liquor" sounds woefully American for a very British institution!

[GrahamB]

Liquor is the proper name for it. Very tasty.

When I was growing up in London there was another Pie and Mash shop in Tower Bridge Road - Joyces. They used to prepare their eels outside the front of the shop. Interesting to watch and even more interesting watching My Joyce chase the odd escapee down the gutter and into the drain.

[Caz]

I have a feeling my cardiac consultant would have a conniption fit if I even mentioned this

I'm definately not telling mine but a little of what you fancy does you good is my motto