West Indian Meat Pie

I have a good amount of cookbooks that I really need to start utilizing. I read them, I flip through them, I make a list of things I want to make from them, and then I make something else. When I started this blog, I tried making a project for myself, called The Great Cookbook Challenge. It was basically to (try and) motivate me to use 3 recipes out of each of my cookbooks before purchasing any others. Let's just say it didn't pan out.

Get it? PAN out?!?

Oh boy. Don't mind me.

*sigh*

Anyway. I had a bit of extra ground beef in my freezer a while back, and I decided to turn to my cookbooks for something I had not made before. This recipe for the West Indian Meat Pie comes from a cookbook called A Taste of the Caribbean, which I acquired a few years ago in St. Thomas. Although I've marked dozens of recipes from it, I've only actually followed through with a couple of them (delicious!). Plus this one.

I made this about a month ago, and now I sit here, trying to recall something - anything to tell you about it. It definitely wasn't bad. I would probably categorize it under 'just a meal'. Nothing bad, nothing special either. Maybe it'll work out better for you. It is a handy recipe, you'd probably have most of the ingredients on hand. It's also not ingredient-sensitive, so if you don't have something, the outcome won't change drastically if you skip or replace a spice for something similar.

If you try this, let me know how it turns out. Maybe I need to give it another chance.

West Indian Meat Pie
Printable Recipe
By Angela Spenceley, A Taste of the Caribbean Cookbook

• One single deep dish pie shell, slightly under-baked and cooled
• 1 lb extra-lean ground beef
• 1 small green bell pepper
• 1 small red bell pepper
• 1 habanero or other equally fiery pepper, carefully seeded and minced
• 1/4 cup pimento stuffed olives
• 1/2 tsp coriander
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 4 tbsp cider vinegar
• 1/2 small can tomato paste
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large skillet, brown meat, adding all ingredients except water, vinegar, tomato paste, cheese and pie shell.
2. Drain and rinse meat mixture in a colander, using hot water. This will wash away most of the fat, leaving the flavor.
   
3. Return meat to skillet adding remaining ingredients except cheese. Simmer about 15 minutes, until thickened.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill piecrust with mixture, sprinkling cheddar evenly across the top.
5. Protect edges of pie from burning by covering edges only with aluminum foil. Bake until slightly bubbly and light golden brown on top.