A 'Different' Beef Stew with Puff Pastry Toppers

Step 1: Beef ... Remove the beef from the fridge to take the chill off. Add the flour, a pinch of both salt and pepper to a small bowl, ziploc bag; or my trick (a brown paper lunch bag). They are cheap, NO clean up; and, you can just throw it away. Anyways, add the meat to the flour mix, and toss or shake until it is coated. But, make sure to shake off any excess flour.

Step 2: In a large pot, add the oil, and bring to medium high heat. Add the beef, and sear until golden brown on all sides. Make sure to not overcrowd the pan; you may need to sear the beef in a couple of batches. If you add all the beef at once, the beef will steam vs brown. Once the beef is seared, remove to a plate while you prepare the vegetables.

Step 3: Next, reduce the heat to medium, and add the onions and garlic, stir to combine; and cook just a minute. Then, add the beer to deglaze the pan, scraping up any bits on the bottom of the pan. Then, add the beef broth, V8 or vegetable juice, worcestershire, bay leaf, thyme; and return the beef to the pot. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer, covered, for 1 hour.

Step 4: Vegetables ... Add the diced tomatoes, celery, potatoes, peppers, parsnips, mushrooms, and another pinch of salt and pepper; and, mix to combine. Cover and cook another hour (approximately), on low heat until all the vegetables are tender. Uncover, and let it reduce a bit as you make the puff pastry. Also, check again for seasoning if necessary.

Step 5: Note: I like to use whole small mushrooms. If you decide to use sliced mushrooms; they will only take approximately 30 minutes vs the entire hour of cooking.

Step 6: Broth ... I like this to be a bit thinner than most stews, so I often will add a bit more broth, as it cooks. It is up to you; but, the pasty topping is really delicious to cut up and let it soak in the broth. If you like it thicker; add a little flour to some of the broth, and mix it in to the stew. It is really a personal preference.

Step 7: Pastry Topper ... Cut a puff pastry sheet into squares. You want the squares to be close to the size of the bowl you plan to serve the stew in. Place the squares on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or foil for easy clean up. Then, brush with the mix of egg and water, and season with salt and pepper. Bake in a 425 degree oven for 12-15 minutes on the middle shelf until golden brown.

Step 8: Finish and Serve ... Finish the stew with the parsley. Then, serve up the stew and top with the puff pastry. I really find this a mix between soup and stew. It is a great cold winter dish. As you eat the stew, cut up the crust to soak up that delicious broth/gravy; and, mash up the potatoes. A crisp wedge of iceberg lettuce; with a creamy dressing, is all that is needed.