This stew is perfect for your St. Patrick’s Day celebrations! The recipe is part of Jennifer Schell’s latest offering, The B.C. Wine Lover’s Cookbook and was submitted by the late, great Harry McWatters (known as the Grandfather of British Columbia wine) from his mother Muriel Duke.
Muriel’s Stout & Beef Pot Pie
Serves 4
2 Tbsp flour
Pinch of salt and pepper
2 lb trimmed top sirloin steak, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 Tbsp butter
2 medium onions, peeled and roughly chopped
1 large (473 ml) can stout beer (like Naramata Nut Brown ale or Guinness)
1 tsp grainy mustard
2 cups quartered mushrooms
1 sheet frozen puff pastry
Milk, for brushing
You will need four individual 12 oz ramekins or bowls for this recipe.
(note: if you happen to have a heart-shaped cookie cutter, it is lovely to have that shape sitting atop your stews to serve instead of a circle.)
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Mix the flour, salt and pepper together in a bowl, then toss the cubes of steak in the mixture until lightly coated.
In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, melt half the butter and lightly brown the meat all over (you may need to do this in two batches). Transfer the meat to an oven-safe dish with a lid (the old-fashioned enamel kind works well).
Add the remaining butter to the frying pan and cook the onions until they are just changing colour, about 4–5 minutes. Spoon the onions over the beef.
Deglaze the frying pan with the beer and pour the liquid over the onions and meat. Cook in the oven, covered, until the beef is very tender (at least 2 hours).
Remove the dish from the oven and stir in the grainy mustard and mushrooms. Return to the oven for 30 minutes, then remove. Increase the oven temperature to the heat level recommended on the puff pastry package.
Roll out the puff pastry sheet, then cut into circles the same size as your ramekins (a biscuit cutter or water glass works). Arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and brush with milk. Bake the pastry according to the instructions on the package until golden brown.
To serve, divide the beef stew into the ramekins and top each with a pastry round. Cheers & Enjoy 🍷
Pair with: McWatters Collection Meritage, a bold Stout or your favourite Irish Whiskey.
TBC Liquor Merchants, Lake Country BC 