Pūkeko Potato Top Pie
This is a dish that’s well worth the wait. While it takes a bit of time to prep, once you’re done and it’s in the oven you’re good to go. And the result is so good you’ll be glad you put in the effort!
Photo: Supplied
Recipe from The Fish and Game Cookbook
Ingredients
BIRD
- 1 whole pūkeko
- 1 large oven bag
- Knob of butter
- 3 Tbsp port
- 1 sprig thyme
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 4 sage leaves
- 3 pinches of salt
- 3 pinches of pepper
MASH
- 4 medium Agria potatoes, diced
- 25g butter
- ¼ cup milk
- ¼ cup frozen peas
- 4 pinches of salt
- 4 pinches of pepper
- Grated cheese
FILLING
- 100g butter
- 2 white onions, sliced
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 rashers bacon, chopped
- 1 tsp Rub-A -Dub Duckie Rub
- 4 carrots, chopped
- 10 yams, chopped
- 1L beef stock
- ½ cup port
- 250g ‘ready to eat’ pitted prunes
- 1 Tbsp black pepper
- 3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
PASTRY
- Butter for greasing
- Pre-made short savoury pastry
Method
Preheat the oven to 160°C.
Into an oven bag add the bird along with the butter, port, thyme, rosemary, sage leaves, salt and pepper. Tie the bag and make a small incision in the bag to let the steam out. Place in the oven for 3 hours. Once cooked allow to cool for 15-20 minutes. Turn the oven up to 180°C. Empty the bird and the juices into a bowl. Shred the meat off the bones (being careful to avoid small bones). Set aside.
For the mash, in a saucepan add the potatoes to boiling water and cook for 15-20 minutes or until soft. Drain and place back into the same saucepan. Add the butter and milk and start mashing the potato until smooth. Stir in the peas and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
In a large hot pan, use the butter to brown the onions, garlic and bacon. Turning the heat down slightly, add your rub, carrots, yams and the beef stock and let simmer for 35 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add the shredded bird meat and juices, port, prunes, black pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer for a further 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Pre-grease a large pie dish and line the dish with pastry. Pour the cooled filling mixture into the dish and top with the potato and pea mash, spreading it evenly with your fingers and patting down until flat. Sprinkle grated cheese on top.
Place into the 180°C oven for 25 minutes. Then turn down to 120°C and cook for a further 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Take out of the oven and dig in.
