Beef & Wild Mushrooms with Puff Pastry

FG: This dish has a wonderful flavor, in part due to the red wine used in the stock. It's a rich dish, nice to have in the fall. After making this a few times and had the puff pastry on top not puff as nicely as it should, I've decided it's better to serve it in puff pastry cups that are baked separately. If the pastry lays on the mushroom-meat mixture at all, it seems to absorb too much liquid and not puff but become soggy instead. Perhaps the key is to put the crocks or casserole with the mixture in the oven first until it gets good and hot, then put the puff pastry on top, making sure it is not sitting in the liquid, and put it immediately back in the oven. The first time we made this the pastry was gorgeous although it did puff up forming a pocket of air underneath it.

3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 pound top sirloin (other cuts can be tough)
Salt and pepper
1 medium onion, diced
1 shallot, diced
1 pound sliced fresh wild mushrooms, or 6 oz. dried mushrooms, reconstituted
1 cup red wine
2 cups beef stock (homemade or canned)
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
3 Tbsp. flour mixed with a little cold water
Puff pastry

Trim any fat from the sirloin and slice against the grain into 1/4" x 1" wide strips. Season the sirloin strips with salt and pepper. Prep the vegetables and mushrooms.

In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat and brown the meat in batches; set aside.

Add the shallots and saute for 1 - 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and onions and saute until mushrooms are soft. Stir in red wine, beef stock, tomato paste and the cooked beef as well as any accumulated beef juices. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until meat is tender, approximately 1/2 hour.

Stir in the flour and water and mix until incorporated. Simmer, stirring, until thickened.

Portion the beef and mushrooms evenly between 4 - 6 16oz. soup crocks. One large casserole dish could also be used.

When ready to bake, cut the puff pastry to fit the crocks or casserole and place on top of the meat and mushroom mixture. Do not put the pastry on top until you are ready to bake or the pastry will absorb moisture and not puff up as well; it also seems to puff better if it is attached to the edge of the dish and doesn't touch the meat-mushroom sauce. Bake at 400 degrees until the pastry is golden brown. About 15 - 20 minutes for the small crocks, or 30 - 35 minutes for the larger casserole.

Serves 4 - 6