Remember slicing into that American staple, the chicken pot pie? It was warm and filling — a meal all in one.
Well, Kate Ratkovic will cause you to erase childhood memories, to empty your freezer into the trash and never mention the name “Swanson’s” ever again.
Ratkovic recently introduced Australian-style meat pies to the Mutt & Jess menu. She creates at least three different options per day, such as pepper steak, chicken-potato-leek or braised beef and onion — the options available last Saturday.
On any day, the menu could vary. She operations on a “whatever flavors I feel like that day” basis.
However haphazard the planning, the results will bring a smile. The braised beef, for example, begins with slow cooked meat that is tender, yet brawny in flavor. It rests in a sauce drawing a natural bittersweet complement from the onions, followed by a meandering spicy heat, elusive in character but persistent — weaving in and out, from a familiar smoldering chili burn to the bite of black pepper to that evasive intricately layered flickering.
This almost cerebral combination is carried forward by the firm crust and flaky, buttery puff pastry top. But a sweetness akin to honey in barbecue sauce mutes the glowing embers of heat before they overcome the dish, forcing it to unfold slowly and evenly — although it does linger.
“I don’t like bland,” Ratkovic explained. “I was taught to season every layer.”
The flavors are indeed boastful. On the other hand, there is more confidence than swagger in the presentation. Everything strides boldly on the tightrope, but maintains balance. It’s a beautiful thing to experience.
If there’s a secret ingredient, at least with the braised beef, it’s that staple of the everyday Australian meal — Vegemite.
The popular (Down Under, at least) brown paste lends a weighty savor to the sauce, as well as bitterness to complement the onion and a malty note to accentuate the sweetness.
“Just to bulk up the flavors,” Ratkovic said, justifying the addition. “It’s really good to cook with.”
The folks at Mutt & Jess will bring out ketchup (catsup?) to accompany the pies. It’s tradition Down Under, although too much may interfere with the rich, booming and conversely delicate flavors of the dish.
Check out one of the chalk boards for the daily offerings. Then head back home and wonder why you ever insulted your oven with a frozen pot pie.
Dave Faries can be reached at 900-2016
