As the weather shifts from hot and sunny days to cooler, rainy days, comfort foods begin to mean that much more. What says comfort food better than a homemade beef pot pie? This is an easy and tasty classic that makes you feel cozy on the inside.

Individual beef pot pies:

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Marinade:

  • 2 Garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 Onions, sliced
  • 1 Carrots, sliced
  • 5 Parsley stalks

Bouquet garni:

  • 1 Carrot stick, 4"
  • 1 Leek, split, 4"
  • 1 sprig Fresh thyme
  • 1 Bay leaf
  • 5 Peppercorns, crushed
  • 2 tsp Salt
  • 450 ml, Dry Red wine, preferably Burgundy
  • 2 cups, Beef Chuck, cubed for stew
  • 3 tbsp Vegetable oil
  • 2 tbsp Flour
  • 1 tbsp Tomato Paste
  • 2 Tomatoes, quartered
  • 1 1/2 cups Brown stock
  • 1 1/2 cups Mushrooms, sliced
  • 3 tbsp Unsalted butter
  • TT Salt & pepper
  • 1 package Puff pastry

Basic egg wash (recipe follows)

  1. Combine the garlic, onions, carrots, parsley, bouquet garni, peppercorns, salt and wine to make marinade. Marinate the meat several hours under refrigeration.
  2. Remove and drain the meat. Reserve the marinade.
  3. Dry the beef and saute it in the oil until well browned. Do this in a couple batches.
  4. Return all the meat to the pot. Sprinkle with flour and cook to make a blond roux. Stir the tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes.
  5. Add the reserved marinade, tomatoes and brown stock. Cook in a 350F oven until the meat is tender, approximately 2-1/2 hours.
  6. Remove the meat from the sauce. Strain the sauce through a sieve, pressing to extract all of the liquid. Discard the solids. Return the liquid and beef to the pot. Sauté the mushrooms in the butter and add them to the meat and sauce. Simmer for 10 minutes to blend the flavours.
  7. Roll out the puff pastry and cut four, 4" rounds.

Assembly:

Fill each 4" ramekin 3/4 of the way with the stew filling and cover with the puff pastry round. Crimp along edge of ramekin and brush with the egg wash (whisk together 1 egg + 1 tbsp water). Bake at 400F for 10 minutes or until golden brown and puffy.

Serve with a garden salad and a glass of red wine. Mmmmmm!