Food O' The Irish

Today's recipe comes from Gourmet Today edited by Ruth Reichel

Get ready to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in delicious style with this recipe.

Beef and Guinness Pies

(Serves 4)
Active time: 1 1/4 hours
Start to Finish: 6 1/2 hours (includes making dough)

2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup Beef Stock (recipe included in book) or store-bought reduced sodium broth
1 cup Guinness or other Irish stout
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons green peppercorns packed in brine, drained and coarsely chopped
2 fresh thyme sprigs
Quick Puff Pastry Dough (recipe included in book)or store bought Puff pastry dough
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Special Equipment: four 14-ounce deep bowls or ramekins (4-5 inches wide) or similar ovenproof dishes

1. Put a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Pat beef dry. Stir together flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. Add beef, turning to coat, then shake off excess flour and transfer to a plate.

3. Heat oil in a 5-to 6-quart wide heavy ovenproof pot over moderately high heat until just smoking. Brown meat in 3 batches, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes per batch; transfer to a bowl.

4. Add onion, garlic, and 3 tablespoons water to pot and cook, scraping up any brown bits from bottom of pot and stirring frequently, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

5. Stir in beef with any juices accumulated in bowl, stock, stout, Worcestershire sauce, peppercorns, and thyme and bring to a simmer. Cover, transfer to oven, and braise until beef is very tender and sauce is thickened, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Discard thyme and cool stew completely, uncovered, about 30 minutes. (If stew is warm when you assemble pies, it will melt pastry tops.)

6. Divide cooled stew among bowls (they won't be completely full.) Roll out pastry dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 13-inch square, about 1/8 inch thick. Trim edges and cut dough into quarters. Stir together egg and remaining 1 tablespoon of water and brush a 1-inch border of egg wash around each square. Invert 1 square over each bowl and drape, pressing sides lightly to help adhere. Brush pastry tops with some of remaining egg wash and freeze for 15 minutes to chill dough thoroughly.

7. Put a baking sheet on middle oven rack and preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

8. Place pies on preheated baking sheet and bake until pastry is puffed and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees F and bake for 5 minutes more to fully cook dough.