SHAKESPEARE'S STEAK PIE

SHAKESPEARE'S STEAK PIE image

Yield 4-6 people

Number Of Ingredients 13

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Ingredients

2 T (1/4 stick)unsalted butter
1 medium or 1/2 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed and minced
2 T minced fresh parsley
6 T all-purpose flour
1/2 t crumbled dried thyme
1/2 t crumbled dried sage
1/2 t crumbled dried oregano
1 1/2 t salt
1/4 t freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 lbs. beef tenderloin, trimmed, cut into 1 1/2 in. cubes (you should have 2lbs trimmed, cubed beef.)
1/4 C high-quality dry red wine
Upper Crust Pastry (recipe follows)

Steps:

In a wide saute pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Gently saute the onion, carrot, garlic and parsley for a moment, stirring until the vegetables are well mixed. Cover the pan and cook over medium to low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is limp and translucent and the carrot has lost some of its crunch, about 10 minutes. Uncover the pan and set aside to cool. Place the flour, thyme, oregano, sage, salt and pepper into a large, heavy duty zip-type plastic bag and mix well. Add the beef to the bag, zip the top closed and shake until all the cubes are evenly covered with the dry mixture. Butter a 9X12 inch oval au gratin pan. Place the floured cubes into the pan along with the sauteed vegetables, mixing very lightly with your hands, just until the begetables and meat are evenly distributed. Place the filled pan in the refrigerator while you prepare the crust. (Or you can cover the filled pan with plastic wrap, place it in the refrigerator, and chill until you re ready to prepare the crust and cook the pie. It is best not to prepare the crust in advance.) Preheat the oven to 350'F. Remove the pan of meat and begetables from the refrigerator and pour the wine into the pan. Gently fit the crust over the pan fluting the edges and slashing the center in 3 places to vent and decorate the top as directed in the pastry recipe. Carefully insert the thermometer through a slash in the crust, making sure it spears a piece of beef. Bake until the meet thermometer reads 125'F for medium rare, about 25 minutes. Serve immediately.