Guinness Beef Pie

...because what could be better than beer and beef and pie?

Now that the cold weather seems to have finally settled in, my thoughts turn to warming up the kitchen with the kind of slow cooked hearty meal that makes a chilly afternoon stretch leisurely into early evening while the house fills with the aroma of dinner yet to come.  With some football on tv, a fire crackling in the fireplace and a glass or two of my favorite red wine, a meal like this is the reason Sunday is my favorite day of the week.

I came across the recipe for Guinness Pie in the NYTimes dining and wine section a few years ago and it became an instant classic in my kitchen.   It is exactly what I look for in a Winter dinner....hearty and comforting...and just how I want to cook on a lazy weekend afternoon.   I hope you love it as much as I do.

Without further ado, allow me to introduce Guinness Beef Pie.

What you'll need:

For the stew:
4 tbsp unsalted butter
2 large red onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
20 mushrooms, sliced
3 lbs brisket or stew meat, chopped into bite size pieces
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
2 tbsp flour
Sprig rosemary
2 Pints Guinness (or other stout)

For the pastry:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 stick cold unsalted butter, diced
Ice water
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
Sea Salt

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large, ovenproof pan fitted with a lid, melt 2 tbsp butter over medium-low heat.  Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until soft.  About 10 minutes.

Add carrots, celery, mushrooms and remaining 2 tbsp butter and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are dark and their moisture has evaporated.  About 15 minutes.

Season the beef with salt and pepper and toss with flour.  Add beef and rosemary to the pan and cook over high heat, stirring often, for about 5 minutes.  

Add enough Guinness to just cover the beef.  Cover pan with lid and put in the oven for 1 1/2 hours.

Once stew is in the oven, make the pastry. 




...coarse meal...

 Sift together flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl.  Using pastry cutter, your hands, or food processer, quickly work the butter into the dough until it is the texture of coarse meal.  Add ice water, a splash at a time, until dough comes together (it will be a little sticky).   Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

After the stew has been in the oven for 1 1/2, remove it and stir.   At this point, if the liquid is gettting too low you can add a little more Guinness or beef stock.  

Return to the oven and cook for 1 more hour.  Once its done, if the liquid remains thin, you can put it on a burner over medium heat, remove the lid and let it reduce.  Season to taste with kosher salt and ground pepper.

Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and place between two sheets of plastic wrap.  With a rolling pin, roll to about 1/4 inch thickness and wide enough to fit your baking dish.  Pour stew into an 8" square, 2" deep baking dish or a 10" pie dish.   If desired, scatter freshly grated cheddar cheese or crumbled blue cheese on top of the stew.  

Place the dough on top of the pie and pinch it closed around the edges.  Slash with a knife or prick with a fork and then brush with beaten egg yolk, sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt, place on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes until the pastry is  puffy and golden.

What to drink:

Now that you've got this heavenly pie filled with hearty braised beef and vegetables you'll want to pair it with an equally hearty glass of something!  Guinness is a no-brainer.  But, I'd be remiss in my duties as a Wino if I didn't offer up a wine pairing.

I've made this recipe several times and have paired it very successfully with a few different wines.  My favorite of these was an inexpensive Barbera (Pennyfarthing Barbera, about $10) that was a deep purply red, lightly acidic with a full body, plenty of tannin to balance the beef, a juicy mouthfeel and a smooth finish.  

This time around, I went with an '09 Carchelo, a blend from the Jumilla region of Spain.  40% Monestrell, 40% Tempranillo and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon promised to deliver the big bold red needed for a hearty meal like this.   

Upon opening, the Carchelo was bright and juicy, with black fruits from the Monestrell, juicy acidity from the Tempranillo and a slightly vegetal spiciness from the Cabernet.   Tannic with a black pepper finish, this was a really good match with the stew. 

Guinness Beef Pie is definitely not a quick weeknight dinner...its going to take the better part of 4 hours from start to finish...but its time well spent for a meal I'm sure you'll  make a regular part of your winter menu.  Enjoy!

South American Butternut Squash Stew

Let's cut to the chase:  this stuff is awesome.   It's hearty and delicious and tangibly healthful.   One bite and you'll know exactly what I mean...you just feel better eating it.   And on top of being a bowlful of good-for-you, its one of those dishes that hits all the taste and texture notes with earthy, comforting squash, bright and fresh green beans, hearty sausage, acidic tomato balanced perfectly with creamy tartness of the goat cheese and the whole thing topped with salty, crunchy roasted seeds.    You should stop whatever else you're doing and make yourself a pot of this stew immediately.   I mean it.  Ok...you can read the recipe first...but then, stop everything and start cooking. 

What you'll need to serve 8:

4 lb butternut squash (7-8 cups diced)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lb link sausage, casing removed
4 cups sliced yellow onions
6 cloves garlic, sliced
1 can diced tomatoes in juice (14.5 oz)
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 jalepeno chile pepper, seeded and minced
1 tbsp minced fresh oregano leaves or 1 tsp dried
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 lb fresh green beans, stems removed
1 1/2 cups corn kernels, frozen (and thawed) or fresh off the cob
2 tbsp minced fresh cilantro leaves
Kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
Crumbled feta or Cotija cheese
Roasted squash seeds

Ingredient notes: 

• Use whatever sausage you like...Italian, Choriza, Turkey, Hot, Mild...it all works. 
• Keep extra chicken broth on hand.  As written, the stew has very little liquid at completion, so if you like your stew "soupier" you'll want to add more broth.
• Your call on the jalepeno.  
• Flat leaf parsley works fine in place of cilantro.
• Ditto on goat cheese in place of feta.

Let's do this:

Peel the squash, cut in half and remove seeds (reserving to roast).  Dice squash into equal pieces (about 1 inch) and set aside.

Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in large pot over medium heat.  Add sausage and cook, breaking up chunks, until sausage is brown on all sides, about 10 minutes.   Stir in sliced onions and cook until they begin to soften, 8-10 minutes.   Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.

Stir in diced squash, tomatoes, broth, jalepeno, oregano and smoked paprika.  Partially cover pot and reduce heat to medium-low.  Cook stew, stirring occasionally, until squash is almost tender, about 20 minutes.

While the stew is stewing, roast the seeds:  Rinse to remove any fibrous strands and pat dry.  Toss with a tablespoon of olive oil, kosher salt and ground black pepper and roast on a baking sheet at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Add beans and corn.  Partially cover and cook another 10 minutes.  Stir in cilantro.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.   Garnish stew with crumbled cheese and roasted squash seeds. 

What to drink:

Pairing wine with vegetables can be tricky.  I based my decision on the primary ingredients:  butternut squash and turkey sausage.   There were a few directions I could have gone...a Cote du Rhone caught my eye and a Malbec from the same region of South America this recipe originated from...but I went with the '09 Mark West Pinot Noir.    

As it opened, I picked up aromas of black cherry, cassis, fig and truffle.   It was at once earthy and acidic...light bodied but with a peppery finish.  It was an easy match for the stew...and at less than $10 a bottle, a great bargain.    

When you make the stew (and I know you will!) let me know what wine you choose to pair with it.   Enjoy!

I heard you missed me....

I'm back!   And I've got some new recipes, wine pairings and adventures to share.  

To my old friends and new, thanks for waiting...I hope I was worth it!

Pumpkin Cake with Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

Everyone has a "pumpkin freak" in their life.  You  know,  that person who waits all year for the Fall to roll around so they can gorge themselves on all things pumpkin.   Usually, the pumpkin-mania is fixated on the sweet variety and for that particular breed of Pumpkinophile, I offer up this sweet and spicy  Pumpkin Cake.  

I found this recipe in Food and Wine Magazine and tried it in honor of a friend's (and certified pumpkin freak's) birthday. It was a big hit with the birthday girl...I think you'll like it too!

Note: Before starting on the cake, you'll need to make the Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting (detailed in a separate blog) as it takes 6 hours to chill.

Here goes:

Ingredients:
2 cups All-purpose Flour
2 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Ground Ginger
3/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
1/4 tsp Ground Cloves
1 1/4 cups Light Brown Sugar
4 large Eggs
3/4 cup Vegetable Oil
15 oz can Pumpkin Puree
1/2 cup Whole Milk

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter and flour two 8-inch round cake pans. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, nutmeg and cloves.

2. In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the brown sugar and eggs at medium-high speed until fluffy, 3 minutes.

3. Beat in the oil, then beat in the pumpkin puree.
 

4. Alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk in 3 batches, beating well between additions.

5. Pour into waiting buttered/floured cake pans, smooth and tap to release any air bubbles.

6. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cakes cool on a rack for 20 minutes. Run a knife around the edges to loosen the cakes, then invert them onto a wire rack to cool completely.

7.  When cakes have cooled completely, use a sharp serated knife to slice off any rounded tops.  This will insure the layers stack firmly and will give your frosted cake a more finished look.  Its not necessary - but its a nice touch.

8. Line the edges of your cake plate with strips of parchment paper or wax paper (I was out, so I had to use foil), place a small dollop of frosting in the middle of the plate to act like glue, and then place your first layer on the cake plate.  Place about a cup of the Caramel Cream Cheese frosting on top and smooth evenly.

9. Carefully place the second layer on top of the first and frost the top and sides with remaining frosting.   Garnish as you wish...I used chopped walnuts for this occasion.   Carefully pull the parchment paper from under the layers and voila! 

Pumpkin Cake with Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting.  Enjoy!

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Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

To top your Pumpkin Cake (recipe detailed in separate blog) you'll need to make this frosting at least 6 hours in advance.  

Ingredients:

1 cup Sugar

1/2 cup Water

1/2 Vanilla Bean, split with seeds scraped

1 1/2 stick (6 oz) Unsalted Butter, room temperature

2 Tbsp. Heavy Cream

1 lb Cream Cheese, cut into 2 inch cubes

1. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, water, vanilla bean and seeds over high heat, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves.  Use a wet pastry brush to wash crystals back into the pan.  Reduce heat to moderate and continue cooking without stirring until sugar turns deep amber color. 

2. Remove from heat immediately, discard the vanilla bean and stir in the butter and cream. Don't worry if mixture seems to separate.

3. Transfer caramel to bowl of standing mixer and whisk on low speed until mixture begins to cool and caramel comes together.  (about 5 minutes)

4. While caramel is whisking, cut cream cheese into 2 inch cubes.

5. With the machine on, add cream cheese one cube at a time, beating well between additions, until silky.

 

6. Transfer to the finished frosting to a covered bowl and refrigerate until very firm, at least 6 hours.

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Tasting: Mira Bueno Sauvignon Blanc

This summery wine from Castillo, Spain is bright and citrusy and fantastic!

I went looking for a Vinho Verde to pair with my pasta w/ parsley, lemon and garlic but came home with this instead. It was a bargain at $9 and seemed a promising match for the fresh summery flavors in the pasta.

With a pale greenish yellow color, the wine presented a strong citrusy-pineapple fragrance with just a hint of vanilla in the background. The melon dominates as soon as it hits your palate and the wine seems to have an almost effervescent quality. The silky finish is a welcome surprise.

Overall, the Sauvignon Blanc matched wonderfully with the pasta...pulling the parsley and lemon to the front and taming the bite of the garlic. The effect was exactly what I'd hoped for when I chose this bottle.

The Mira Bueno is one of those wines that I want to try with everything and I instantly wondered how it would do with one of my favorite treats...Garlic and Onion Jam.

I was skeptical about this jam before I first tried it but found it surprisingly sweet with a hint of apple. It tastes amazing smeared on a baguette with a bit of Brie and a thin slice of Granny Smith. Without the cheese and fruit, I thought the jam went perfectly with the Mira Bueno. The acidity becomes a bit more prominant but at the same time, the emergent fullness of the apple flavor takes a swim in all that melon-y bright Sauvignon Blanc and makes you want even more!

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Quick summer pasta

Finely chop a handful of fresh parsley and one garlic clove. Add the zest of one lemon and about two tbsp toasted pine nuts. Toss with cooked pasta, about a half tablespoon butter and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Try with a chilled glass of Vinho Verde or Sauvignon Blanc.

Enjoy!

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