Beef bourguignon pot pies; a savory twist on the classic French stew, featuring tender beef, red wine gravy, and vegetables baked beneath a golden, flaky pastry crust..

Equipment Required

• Dutch oven

Ingredients

Beef Bourguignon

• 1.4kg Boneless Stewing Beef (beef chuck or other, cut into 2-inch cubes and patted dry)
• 11g Salt (more to taste)
• 2.5g Black Pepper (freshly ground)
• 140g Lardons (pancetta or bacon, diced, about 1 1/4 cups)
• 1 Onion (finely chopped)
• 2 Large Carrot (sliced)
• 2 Garlic Cloves (minced)
• 4.65g Tomato Paste
• 40g All-Purpose Flour
• 750ml bottle Red Wine Pinot noir
• 2 Large Bay Leaf 
• 1 large sprig Thyme 
• 224g Pearl Onions (peeled, about 12 to 15 onions)
• 224g Cremini Mushrooms (halved if large, about 4 cups) 
• 20mL Extra-Virgin Olive Oil 
• 1 cup brown sugar  
• add Flat-Leaf Parsley (chopped, for garnish)

Mashed Potatoes

• 1 kg Potatoes skin on cubed (we use Spud Lite potatoes)
• 1.5 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon milk
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 300g butter (Good Quality) 

Method

Beef bourguignon

1. Season beef with 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Set aside for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or chill in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
2. In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid, cook lardons over medium-low heat until fat is rendered and lardons are browned and crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve fat in pot.
3. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Raise heat under pot to medium-high and cook until fat is starting to smoke. Lay half the beef cubes in a single layer in the pot, leaving space between pieces. Cook until well browned on all sides, 10 to 15 minutes; transfer pieces to a plate as they brown. Repeat with remaining beef.
4. Reduce heat, if necessary, to prevent burning. Stir in onion, carrot and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until soft, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Stir in garlic and tomato paste, and cook for 1 minute. Stir in flour, cook for 1 minute, then add wine, bay leaf and thyme, scraping up brown bits at bottom of pot. Add browned beef and half the cooked lardons back to pot, cover, and transfer to oven. Let cook until beef is very tender, about 1 1/2 hours, turning meat halfway through.
6. Meanwhile, in a large skillet set over high heat, combine pearl onions, mushrooms, 1/4 cup water, the olive oil and a pinch each of salt, pepper and sugar. Bring to a simmer, then cover and reduce heat to medium, cooking for 15 minutes. Uncover, raise heat to high, and cook, tossing frequently, until vegetables are well browned, 5 to 7 minutes.
7. To serve, place Bourguignon into ramekins, scatter onions and mushrooms and remaining cooked lardons over Bourguignon then top with parsley. Set aside.

Mashed Potatoes

1. Peel the potatoes and then cut into 1 inch chunks.
2. Wash the potatoes under cold water to remove any surface starch.
3. Place the potatoes, milk, salt and white pepper into a sauce pan and place over a medium heat.
4. Bring to a simmer, then put a lid on, reduce the heat and cook for 35-40 minutes until the potatoes are soft. (Check your potatoes after 20 minutes as the age of the potato can affect how quickly it cooks.)
5. Whilst the potatoes are cooking, cut the butter into small chunks and place in the fridge to stay cold.
6. Drain the potatoes reserving the milk.
7. Use a potato ricer or a food mill to mash the potatoes.
8. Add the hot potatoes to the cold butter and stir vigorously until all the butter has melted into the potato.
9. Add about a ¼ cup of the milk mixture and stir to get a very soft almost pourable mashed potato. (see note 2)
10. Check the seasoning then pipe over the beef bourguignons with a little extra butter and some parsley garnish.
11. Serve immediately 
12. Note this can be made a day ahead reheated in the oven with a little cheese on top.
13. Enjoy.

Recipe Source

Goodwood Quality Meats