Sunday lunch or dinner doesn’t get better than this. This beef bourguignon pot pie is intensely flavourful and fragrant with plenty of veggies, beef, bacon and, of course, red wine. So roll up those sleeves and get busy in the kitchen. And that apple mash… There are no words.
SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 160 mins
INGREDIENTS
For the beef bourguignon pie
75 ml flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
500g boneless beef chuck, cubed
¼ cup olive oil
3 rashers bacon, chopped
2 leeks, halved lengthways and thinly sliced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
¼ cup finely chopped parsley
2 tbsp brandy
4 sprigs thyme, leaves only
1 bay leaf
1 star anise pod
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup red wine
75g unsalted butter, melted
250g mushrooms, quartered
400g roll puff pastry
1 egg, beaten
For the apple and sage mash
450g potatoes, peeled and chopped
Salt and black pepper
50 ml cream
25g butter
1 apple, peeled and grated
Handful sage, finely chopped
METHOD
For the beef bourguignon pie
1. Season 2 tbsp flour with salt and pepper. Toss the beef with the flour to coat.
2. Heat 3 tbsp oil in a pot over medium-low heat. Working in batches to avoid steaming the meat, cook it, turning often, until it is browned all over, 8–10 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate.
3. Cook the bacon in the same pot, stirring often, until brown and crisp.
4. Add ¼ cup water and cook, scraping up the browned bits. Add the leeks, carrots and onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the garlic and parsley, and return the beef to the pot.
5. Add brandy and simmer until liquid is almost completely evaporated, about 1 minute.
6. Add thyme leaves, bay leaf, star anise, stock and wine. Bring to a simmer.
7. Mix remaining 3 tbsp flour and melted butter in a small bowl until smooth, then add to the beef mixture. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, until the beef is very tender.
8. Preheat oven to 180°C.
9. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until browned, 4–5 minutes.
10. Add mushrooms to the beef mixture, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and transfer the mixture to an ovenproof dish.
11. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to about 3 mm thick. Cut out a circle, as big as the diameter of the dish you are using to bake the pie in and place it over the dish. Use the remaining pastry to cut out leaves and flowers (or pattern of your choice) and decorate the pie.
12. Brush the pie with the beaten egg and bake for 30–35 minutes, or until pastry is golden.
For the apple and sage mash
1. Place the potatoes in a pot, cover with water and add 1 tsp salt. Boil for 10–15 minutes, until soft. Remove from the heat and drain.
2. Mash the potatoes and add the cream, butter, grated apple and sage.
3. Season with salt and pepper if necessary. Serve with the beef bourguignon pot pie.
