Recipe: Beef and Vegetable Pot Pies in Pepper-Bacon Crust

BEEF AND VEGETABLE POT PIES IN PEPPER-BACON CRUST



"These sophisticated, open-faced personal-size pot pies have flaky crusts spiked with tiny bits of bacon and coarsely ground pepper. The filling is a mouth-watering combination of seared filet mignon, roasted root vegetables, and a full-bodied red wine-Cognac reduction."

FOR THE CRUST:
4 slices bacon, cooked until very crisp and blotted on paper towels
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 to 4 tablespoons cold water
3/4 teaspoon very coarsely ground black peppercorns

FOR THE FILLING:
2 each medium carrots, parsnips, and turnips, peeled and cut into 1-x 1/2-x 1/2-inch pieces (about 3/4 cup each)
20 pearl onions, an "X' cut in each root end
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
1 1/4 pounds well-trimmed filet mignon, cut into 1-inch cubes, blotted dry
2 ounces slab bacon with rind removed, cut in 1/4-inch cubes
4 large shallots, thinly sliced
1/2 cup full-bodied red wine
1/4 cup Cognac or brandy
1/2 cup veal demi-glace
1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley plus 1 tablespoon for garnish
2 tablespoons flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

TO MAKE THE CRUST:
Combine the cooked bacon, flour, and salt in a food processor and process until the bacon is finely chopped. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles fine meal. Pour in 2 tablespoons of water and process just until the mixture comes together into a ball, adding additional teaspoons of water if the pastry is too dry. Add the pepper arid pulse to mix. Remove the pastry, divide it into 4 equal pieces, dust lightly with flour, and flatten into a small disc, Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

On a lightly floured board, roll the pastry discs into 8-inch circles about 1/8 inch thick. Transfer to individual 6-inch pie pans. Trim the excess pastry and decorate the edges with the tines of a fork. Prick each crust several times. Lay a piece of aluminum foil on each crust, smoothing it against the edges, and weight it with dried beans or rice.

Bake in the middle of the oven just until the crusts are set, 6-8 minutes. Remove the foil and beans, return the crusts to the oven, and bake until golden brown, 12-14 minutes. Turn the oven down to 200 degrees F. Keep the crusts warm until the final assembly, or let them cool and reheat when needed.

MEANWHILE, PREPARE THE FILLING:
Blanch the carrots, parsnips, turnips, and pearl onions in boiling salted water until just cooked through but still firm, about 2-4 minutes. Remove the pieces with a slotted spoon as they become tender; shock them in cold water, drain, arid blot dry.

Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet until hot. Add the vegetables and saute until lightly browned, 2-3 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. Keep warm.

Heat another tablespoon of butter in another large skillet over high heat. Quickly sear the meat on all sides, 2-3 minutes for medium-rare, then transfer it to the pan with the vegetables.

Adjust the heat to medium, stir the bacon cubes into the skillet, and cook for 2 minutes, turning often.

Stir in the shallots and cook over medium-high heat until they are light brown, 2 minutes.

Pour in the wine, Cognac, and demi-glace and boil for 1 minute to reduce the liquid, scraping llp any browned cooking bits. Stir in the parsley and keep the sauce warm on low heat.

If the sauce is too thin, blend the remaining tablespoon of butter and flour together with your fingers; whisk it by bits into the sauce until it thickens. Do not let it boil. Return the meat and any juices that have accumulated along with the vegetables to the pan, turning to coat evenly. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

TO SERVE:
Divide the meat, vegetables and sauce evenly among the warm pie crusts and serve with a little parsley sprinkled on top. Or tent with foil (do not seal) and keep in a warm oven for up to an hour.

Makes 4 individual pot pies
Source: Seduced by Bacon by Joanna Pruess