Guinness Pie & Chateau Maris Syrah

9 March

Chateau Maris Natural Selection Biodynamic Syrah, 2012

This single vineyard 2012 Minervois la Liviniere la Touge (60/40 Syrah Grenache). A lush, plush blend of Syrah and Grenache that does not contain a single chemical. Ripe blackberry, pepper, ground herbs and licorice emerge from this medium to full bodied, textured and seamless beauty. Drink it anytime over the coming 4-5 years. – Wine Advocate #218 (Apr. 2015) Jeb Dunnuck: 90 PTS

Recipe

Guinness Pie

Ingredients

Stew

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 2 large red onions, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 2 ribs celery, chopped
  • 10 mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
  • 3 pounds brisket (preferably second-cut) or stew meat, chopped into bite-size pieces
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • About 4 cups (2 cans) Guinness or other stout
  • 1 cup trotter gear (recipe here) or 8 ounces freshly grated Cheddar

Pastry

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) very cold unsalted butter, diced
  • 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

Directions

Stew

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  2. In a large, ovenproof pan fitted with a lid, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-low heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 10 minutes.
  3. Add the carrots, celery, mushrooms and remaining 2 tablespoons butter and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are dark in color and the moisture released by them has evaporated, about 15 minutes.
  4. Season the beef pieces all over with salt and pepper. Add the beef, flour and rosemary to the pan and cook over high heat, stirring often, for about 5 minutes.
  5. Add enough Guinness to just cover the beef. Cover the pan and put it in the oven for 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the oven and stir. If using trotter gear, stir it in now. Return to the oven and cook for 1 hour more. If it remains thin, set the pan over medium-low heat, remove the lid and reduce the liquid. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If using Cheddar, fold in about half.
  6. While the stew is cooking, prepare the pastry: sift together the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Using a pastry cutter or your hands, quickly work the butter into the dough until it is the texture of coarse meal. Add ice water, a splash at a time, until a firm dough forms. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
  7. Place the dough between two sheets of plastic wrap and, using a rolling pin, roll to the thickness of a computer mouse pad. Pour the stew into an 8-inch-square, 2-inch-high Pyrex dish or a deep 9-inch pie pan. If using Cheddar, scatter the remaining cheese across the top. Place the dough on top of the pie and pinch it closed around the edges using the tines of a fork, then slash the center lightly with a knife. Brush with the egg yolk, place on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes, or until the pastry is puffy and golden.