Beef, Cheddar, and Stout Pie

Helo inspecting the ingredients. Photo Credit: E.Evans

It took some tinkering, but the taste of the dish finally matches the AMAZING aroma.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 medium red onions, peeled and chopped
• This may seem like a lot, but the final result is tasty (and not at all overwhelming)!
• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
• 1/3 cup butter, plus extra for greasing
• 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 sticks of celery, trimmed and chopped
• 6 cremini mushrooms, peeled and sliced (optional)
• 2 1/4 pounds beef brisket, or stewing beef, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 Tbsp rosemary
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 440ml Guinness (or other similar stout)
• I have a wide, shallow Dutch oven, and because it is key to ensure all the meat and veggies are covered in liquid before I put it into the oven, I needed another can of Guinness.
• 2 heaping Tbsp flour
• 5 ounces freshly grated Cheddar cheese
• You can also omit the cheese for a more authentic Scottish dish, I'm told ;)
• 8 ounces ready-made all-butter puff pastry
• 1 large egg with a tablespoon of water, beaten

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch Oven on low heat. Add the onions and saute for ~10 minutes.
3. Turn the heat to high and add the garlic, butter, carrots, celery, and mushrooms. Mix everything together.
4. Add beef, rosemary, a large pinch of salt, and a teaspoon of freshly ground pepper. Fry on high for ~4 minutes.
5. Pour in the stout (and add extra stout and/or water to ensure everything is covered). Stir in the flour. Bring to a simmer and cover. 
6. Place in the oven for 1.5 hours. Remove the Dutch oven and stir the stew, making sure to scrape bits off of the bottom. Return to the oven and cook for 1 more hour.
7. Transfer the stew mixture to a 13 x 9 baking dish. Stir in the cheese, then season with salt and pepper.
8. Roll out the pastry sheet to fit and then place over the top of the baking dish. Brush the edges of the pastry with the egg wash (beaten egg and water).
9. Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 45 min. (Hint: place the dish on a baking sheet to catch spills.)

Recipe via A Tale of Three Kitchens (original recipe - with metric measurements - from Jamie Oliver)