Beef Pot Pie With Polenta Crust

Total Time: 1 hr 45 mins Preparation Time: 35 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 10 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 2 lbs lean beef chuck, trimmed of fat and cut into 1 inch cubes
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 quart water or 1 quart vegetable stock or 1 quart beef stock
• 1 medium bay leaf
• 3 medium boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4 thick rounds
• 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4 thick rounds
• 1/2 cup fresh peas or 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 2 cups flour
• 2/3 cup medium-grind yellow cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon ice water, more as needed

Recipe

• 1 pat the cubes of beef dry with a paper towel and sprinkle all sides with salt and pepper; dip them into flour to coat, remove excess flour.
• 2 in a heavy four quart casserole, heat the oil over high heat and brown the beef in the oil, turning them them evenly brown, transfer meat to plate.
• 3 in the same pan, add onions and saute 5 minutes until soft but not brown; pour in water or stock and bring to a boil over high heat while scraping the browned particles clinging to the sides and bottom of the pan; add beef cubes and bay leaf, reduce heat, simmer partially covered for 1 hour: then add potatoes, carrots and peas; partially cover the pan again and simmer 20 to 30 minutes longer, or until vegetables are tender.
• 4 as beef and vegetables simmer, check the pan from time to time; if liquid seems to be cooking away, reduce heat and add a little more water; when all is tender, remove from heat and let cool uncovered to room temperature.
• 5 for crust: in a food processor with fitted metal blade, combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt; process just to mix; add butter and process in short burst, scraping down sides of bowl if necessary, until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.
• 6 add the whole egg, egg yolk and 1 tablespoon ice water and process for a few short burst, scraping down sides until dough comes together but still crumbly; if dough seems to dry, sprinkle with up to one more tablespoon water; do not overprocess or the crust will be tough.
• 7 turn dough out onto a floured surface and work together into a ball the consistency of play-doh, press down into a round disk and wrap with plastic, put in refrigerator for 1 hour.
• 8 roll dough to fit the casserole that has the meat veggie mixture in; place dough over mixture and bake in 350°f oven until crust is brown and stew is bubbling, serve.