Savor this

b

Who was the genius that came up with the idea that come January 1st we should make resolutions that basically remove all the fun and good things from our lives? Seriously, losing weight is a great idea, especially if you are fat as a house, yes we all put on a few extra pounds during the holidays, but it is January, we are in the Dakotas not Palm Beach. Is this really the best time to be crunching on carrots sticks as the mercury drops to ungodly temperatures? Of course not. This is the time for some good solid foods to fuel the furnace and my fave is to wrap it all up in a good savory pie.

Being a Brit I was raised on a wide assortment of savory pies; steak and kidney, cock-a-leekie (more on that later) shepherd’s pie, cornish pasties and smoked haddock fish pie. Frankly, I think the Brits cornered the market on pie making and the tradition goes back centuries. Cornish Pasties, basically a hand held pie, were a lunch staple for miners and other laborers as it was easy to eat with dirty hands.

I think the most bizarre pie is the stargazy, also a cornish affair where whole herrings or crawfish are sticking up through the pastry, baked right into the pie, wee little fish faces gazing starry eyed at the diner.

Every country seems to have some form of savory pie held prominently in their culture and eaten on a daily basis. The empanada covers a wide spectrum of countries from Mexico, through the Caribbean and South America, each with the individual touches. In Brazil they put a sweet rum into the dough which when fried makes the finished product crisper and with a unique flavor. Chicken Pot Pie is an American staple and is a derivative of the British cock-a leekie which is a combination of cooked chicken and braised leeks. The Moroccans have the b’stilla pigeon pie, French Canadians the tourtiere, lagosian is found in Nigeria and the American south gives us natchitoches, basically a Louisiana empanada with the twist of using buttermilk in the dough and a good healthy dose of hot sauce.

Most pies are enclosed in a flaky pastry but there are some where there is no dough yet they are still considered a savory pie. Shepherd’s pie is the most obvious one and is sometimes a bit of a misnomer as most are made with ground beef instead of the traditional ground lamb. A bit of a no-brainer as shepherds and sheep have well-- a relationship. A similar pie made with ground beef is referred to as a cottage pie. Created as a way to utilize leftover cooked meats this dish has evolved into a masterpiece of layering flavors and textures. The topping of creamy and crusty mashed potatoes seals in all the flavors of the meat, onions and other vegetables used (optional).

Here is the other great thing about savory pies, they can be relatively healthy for those determined to honor their resolutions. Instead of pie dough or puff pastry use phyllo, just go light on the butter. Fill your pie with grilled or steamed vegetables, hell... toss in some tofu as well or go Russian and add in some cooked rice. You can seal in flavors, if not using a pastry by taking a page from the shepherd’s or cottage pie. Use a puree of squash or carrots as your topping or flavor sealer. The great thing about making individual pies is you get to control the caloric content and portion control system per serving.

As for me I am going old school and making my pies in the traditional manner. Homemade pastry, lots of flavor builders (wine, ale, brandy, cream) and some slow cooking. It all works out in the end. I just take my big boy Siberian husky for a longer walk in the crisp, frigid world we call Fargo and I call it even. I’ll go with the carrot sticks when the snow starts melting and heavy, winter clothes become optional.