Beef and Red Wine Pot Pie

Perfect Meal for a Fall Weekend!

Beef and Red Wine Pot Pie

Boneless beef shoulder or chuck and cut into cubes
6 teaspoons olive oil
2 onions diced
2 stalks of celery diced
1 carrot peeled and diced
1 clove of garlic finely chopped
20 oz.beef stock
12. 5 oz red wine - use a nice, gutsy cabernet or shiraz
10 sprigs of thyme
3 fresh bay leaves
1 dozen button mushrooms chopped
3 T plain flour
6 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 sheet puff pastry
1 egg lightly beaten with 1 T milk
Sea salt
Pepper

1. Dust the beef cubes in plain flour seasoned with salt and pepper and shake off the excess.   Heat oil in a heavy based casserole pot over medium heat and brown beef cubes in batches, stirring to prevent the flour from catching and burning on the bottom.  Remove with slotted spoon and set aside.

Add a splash more oil and add the veggies and garlic and cook for around 5 minutes or until softened.

Add stock, wine, herbs and the browned beef cubes and season lightly with sea salt and black pepper (it's always best to do most of the seasoning after everything's cooked and liquid has reduced).  Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 1.5 - 2 hours.  Add mushrooms and cook another 30 minutes or until meat is tender.

If it's still a little liquidy, place flour in a small bowl and add enough braising liquid to make a thin, smooth paste.  Add to casserole little by little, stirring, until it's smooth and thick.  Season to taste, add vinegar and cool.  Once cooled, spoon into a large pie dish, removing the bay leaves.  Alternatively, you can spoon into individual pie dishes or ramekins.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll pastry to to cover pie topping and place over filling, with edges overhanging.  Press with fork to seal edges and trim excess with a knife.  Brush with the eggwash and bake for around 20 minutes or until pastry is golden.