For the main course — Decomposing Beefsteak Pie (Serves 8)
These themed recipes are for dishes cooked in England and Continental Europe during the late 1800s.
- 3 lb (1.36 kg) of rump steak
- seasoning to taste of salt, cayenne, and black pepper
- crust
- water
- the yolk of an egg
Method: Cut the steaks into pieces about 3 inches long and 2 inches wide, allowing a small piece of fat to each piece of lean, and arrange the meat in layers in a pie-dish. Between each layer sprinkle a seasoning of salt, pepper, and, when liked, a few grains of cayenne. Fill the dish sufficiently with meat to support the crust, and to give it a nice raised appearance when baked, and not to look flat and hollow. Pour in sufficient water to half fill the dish, and border it with pastry; brush it over with a little water, and put on the cover; slightly press down the edges with the thumb, and trim off close to the dish. Ornament the pie with leaves, or pieces of pastry cut in any shape that fancy may direct; brush the pie over with the beaten yolk of an egg; make a hole in the top of the crust, and bake in a hot oven for about 1½ hours.
This recipe is in the public domain and may be used freely.
