On our second day of our London vacation we explored the Tower of London, one of the most fascinating historic landmarks. The White Tower was originally built by William the Conqueror and other buildings were added later on. The Tower of London served as a fortress, a royal palace, and a prison. Here, two of the wives of Henry the VIII's were imprisoned and beheaded.
Our tour was led by a Beefeater, a costumed actor representing a ceremonial guard of the Tower of London, who told us of the different parts of the tower and the stories of events and legends that happened here.
We also explored the Crown Jewels exhibit, the White Tower that featured armor and weapons of Henry the VIII, and viewed the famous ravens whose presence it is said keeps the Tower from harm.
Then, we went on a long walk through the city of London, seeing many of the sites we glimpsed on our bus tour the previous day. The view of St. Paul's Cathedral was especially memorable.
At the end of our walk, we were hungry and stepped into The Prince of Wales pub for an early dinner. In the spirit of our tour guide, the Beefeater, we ordered some delicious Beef and Ale pies.
Here's my version of a Beef and Ale pie, presented in a modern "gastropub" style.
Ingredients: (4 servings)
1 pound beef stew meat, cut in very small cubes
Salt, pepper
1 tablespoon flour
2 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup carrots, sliced in thin rounds
1 cup English Ale
2 cups beef stock
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon tomato sauce
1 teaspoon Cayenne pepper (optional)
2 sheets (1 package) Puff pastry
Butter
1 egg, beaten
Directions:
Heat butter and 1 tablespoon of oil in a large stew pan. Season beef with salt and pepper and coat with flour. Add to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring a few times. Set aside.
To the pan, add another tablespoon of oil, then add onions, mushrooms, and carrots. Cook the vegetables for a few minutes. Return the beef to the pan and add ale, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce and tomato sauce. Sprinkle with Cayenne if desired. Bring to boil then turn the heat down to low and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until the liquids are thick and the beef is very tender.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Roll out the puff pastry and cut each sheet into 4 squares. Grease the ramekins or mini pie dishes with a little bit of butter, then line the bottom and sides of each with a puff pastry square and trim off any remaining pieces. Arrange the ramekins on a baking rack and bake for about 5 minutes.
Scoop 1/4 of the beef stew into each pie. Cover with a remaining puff pastry square, covering the edges of the dishes, then trim off any remaining pieces. Brush lightly with egg. Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.
