Rook Pie Recipe

• 4-6 Fledgling Rooks
• 1 pound (450 g) Beef, chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 6 ounces (170 g) Butter
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste
• Puff Pastry

• The fledging rooks should be a few weeks old i.e. after they have left their nests, but before they fly. Older rooks have a poor flavor.
• Skin the rooks and remove backbones and insides. Cut the rooks from their joints.
• Use salt and pepper to season the joints and steak.
• Fry in hot butter, until they turn into a nice brown color.
• Add the beef and simmer both joints and beef for two hours.
• Separate the bones and the meat and keep aside the reduced stock, for gravy.
• Take a baking dish and lay the steak and rook meat in it.
• Cover it with the reduced stock.
• Cover the dish with puff pastry.
• Bake at 180 °C (355 °F) for 30 minutes.
• Serve hot.