Colonial-Inspired Beef Pie

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 large shallot, finely chopped
• 1 (750 milliliter) bottle tawny port
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 ½ cups chicken broth
• 1 portobello mushroom cap, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• sea salt to taste
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 ½ pounds diced beef stew meat
• 1 large onion
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• ¼ cup cold water

Step 1

Melt a tablespoon of butter in a large pan over medium heat. Toss in the shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until it softens, about 5 minutes. Pour in the port and add the thyme, then turn the heat up to high and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to medium-low and let it simmer until the sauce reduces to about half a cup—this will take around 35 minutes.

Step 2

While that’s cooking, warm the chicken broth in a small saucepan until it’s just simmering. Turn off the heat, add half of the mushrooms to the broth, and let them soak for 15 to 20 minutes. When they’re ready, scoop the mushrooms out with a slotted spoon and set them aside. Strain the broth through a coffee filter or cheesecloth to catch any bits, then dice the soaked mushrooms and add them back into the port sauce along with the strained broth.

Step 3

Bring the sauce back up to a boil, then lower the heat and let it cook down until it thickens to about one and a half cups, which should take about 15 minutes. Mix the cornstarch with cold water to make a slurry, then whisk it into the simmering sauce to help thicken it even more—this will only take a few minutes. Stir in some balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper to give it a nice depth of flavor.

Step 4

Heat a skillet over medium-high and sauté the beef just until it’s still a little pink in the middle, around 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer the beef to a bowl. In the same pan, cook the remaining mushrooms and onion in the beef drippings until they’re soft, about 5 minutes, then add them to the beef.

Step 5

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). In a bowl, combine the flour and salt, then cut in the butter using two knives or a pastry blender until the mixture looks crumbly. Add the cold water and mix until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides. Divide it in half—roll out one half on a floured surface and press it into a 10-inch pie pan to form the bottom crust.

Step 6

Spread the beef and vegetable mix over the crust, then pour the sauce evenly on top. Roll out the other half of the dough and cover the pie, sealing the edges well. Bake for about 45 minutes until the crust is golden and flaky. Let it cool for 15 minutes before serving.