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Serves: 4
Celebrating NAIDOC Week with a delicious slow-cooked kangaroo pot pie full of native flavour!
TASTE OF NAIDOC FACT
NAIDOC Week celebrates the history, culture, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Our pot pie recipe has been proudly created to acknowledge and commemorate this year’s event. The recipe uses kangaroo, which is a lean meat with less than 2% fat. It is also high in protein (double that of beef), essential B vitamins and minerals such as zinc, iron, and omega 3 fats and omega 6 fatty acids. The recipe’s flavour is enhanced with native thyme and ground pepperberry. Native thyme has an earthy, peppery mint flavour and originally used by Indigenous Australians for its medicinal properties. Pepperberry was also used by indigenous Australians as a medication, but today is valued and used for its unique fruity and spicy flavour.
INGREDIENTS
- 40ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 750gm Diced Kangaroo Rump
- 150gm Brown Onion – top, tail, peel, halve and finely dice.
- 1 Garlic Clove – peel and finely chop.
- ¼ Celery Stem – remove leaves and base and cut into 1/2cm dice.
- 75gm Carrot – top, tail, peel and cut into 1/2cm dice.
- 1/8 tsp Ground Native Thyme
- 1/8 tsp Pepperberry – finely grind.
- 4 sprigs Thyme – pick leaves, rinse, drain and finely chop.
- 50gm Tomato Paste
- 150ml Red Wine
- 500gm Crushed Tomato
- 350ml Salt Reduced Chicken Stock
- 350ml Water
- To Taste – Sea Salt
- 1 Egg – crack and beat.
- 1 Puff Pastry Sheet – thaw and cut into 4 x 12cm diameter discs
- As Required – Sea Salt Flakes and Finely Cracked Black Pepper
- As Required – Dried Thyme Leaves
METHOD
- Pre-heat an oven to a moderate temperature – 160°C.
- Over moderate heat in a sauté pan, heat half of the oil. Add and sear the kangaroo until it is well browned on all sides. Remove from the heat and set to one side.
- Over low heat, in a saucepan, heat the remainder of the oil. Add and sauté the onion, garlic, celery, and carrot, stirring regularly until the vegetables have softened and are lightly browned.
- Then add the native thyme, pepper berry and thyme leaves. Sauté for a further minute.
- Add the tomato paste and ‘cook out’ for 2 minutes, whilst stirring continuously. Add the kangaroo and mix to combine.
- Mix to combine, the red wine, crushed tomato, chicken stock, and water, then bring up to the boil, reduce the heat and allow to gently simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until the kangaroo is tender and the sauce has reduced, thickened and lightly coats the back of a mixing spoon. Season to taste with salt. Remove from the heat.
- Evenly distribute the braised kangaroo between 4 x 6 cm deep and 10cm diameter pie dishes. Place into a refrigerator for 2 hours to allow the kangaroo mixture to cool.
- Lightly brush the rims of the pie dishes with a little of the beaten egg, then top each pie with a puff pastry disc. Press the pastry down on all edges to seal the pie tightly. Trim off any excess pastry from the rim of each dish with a knife.
- With the remainder of the egg, generously brush each pastry lid and then lightly sprinkle each one with sea salt, finely cracked black pepper, and dried thyme leaves. Using a small sharp knife cut 2 small slits in the top of each pie, to allow excess steam to escape during the baking process (this will help the pastry to rise and become golden and crispy).
- Place the pies into the oven, bake for 25 minutes or until they are heated through and the pastry has turned golden brown.
TO SERVE
Carefully (the pies will be hot!), place each pie to the side of a plate before serving. Serve with a choice of accompaniments such as mashed potato and roasted baby carrots.
