An award-winning butcher from Holland Park has turned back the centuries by putting meat back into the mince pie.

Danny Lidgate, owner of one of the oldest butchers in London, is making medieval mince pies after working with TV food historian Annie Gray.

The pies are being sold at his Holland Park Avenue shop and via AmazonFresh, and were launched on Thursday (November 16).

Mr Lidgate, a fifth-generation family butcher at the 165-year-old C.Lidgate business, combines traditional recipes with ingredients more appealing to 21st century taste buds to create the ultimate treat this Christmas.

He said: “It was inspiring to be able to cook-up a time-honoured meat version of the mince pie, akin to the delicious delicacies our ancestors would have enjoyed during Christmas centuries ago.

“Working with AmazonFresh, we’re reintroducing the traditional meat-filled mince pie to our customers’ festive tables - it’s the perfect treat for a carnivore this Christmas.”

Danny Lidgate with his mouth-watering mince pies, outside his Holland Park store

Ms Gray added: “Mince pies have a long and rich history, from their medieval origins as meaty, spicy and hefty treats for the wealthy, to the more everyday individual pies we’re more familiar with today.

“Over time, the quantity of meat declined from the pies of earlier eras, but the reintroduction of meat still gives a deep and satisfying backnote in a fruity confection.

Ingredients include currents, raisins and minced apricots

“Given how long the Christmas mince pie contained meat for, it is apt that one of London’s oldest butchers, C.Lidgate, has created this pie inspired by the past.”

The pies are available to buy from AmazonFresh and cost £4.50 for a serving of four to six people.

Danny Lidgate worked with TV food historian Annie Gray on the festive treats

Want to try making your own medieval mince pie?

Mr Lidgate has also provided an at home method for anyone wanting to attempt their own version

Ingredients (serves four - six)

450g Cooked Beef, Minced

450g Suet

600g Currants

600g Raisins

300g Candied Peel

900g Apricots, Minced

450g Dried Apple

4 Lemons, Zested

1kg Sugar

600ml Sherry

1tbl Spoon Ground Ginger

1tbl Spoon Ground Nutmeg

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 220C/425F/G7

2. Mix the minced meat with all the other filling ingredients

3. Mould ¾ pastry into a 20cm spring form tin to make the base and sides

4. Fill the tin with filling

5. Roll out the remaining pastry for the lid, moisten the sides with water and press the lid firmly in place and crimp to make a tight seal

6. Trim the edges and use the surplus to decorate the top. Cut a hole in the middle of the lid

7. Bake in the centre of the oven for 15 minutes, and then reduce the temperature to 180C/350F/G4 and bake for a further 75 minutes

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