Ingredients:
2 lbs lean stewing beef, trimmed of all fat and connective tissue and cut in 1 1/2 inch cubes
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, peeled and chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
1 stalk celery, cleaned and sliced
1 small parsnips, peeled and chopped
1 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
2 cups beef stock ( OR 1 beef bouillon cube dissolved in 2 cups water)
2 cups dry red wine
1 bay leaves
1 ounce butter
1 ounce flour
8 ounces flour
1 ounce butter
8 ounces grated cheddar cheese, divided
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish ( NOT the creamy sauce)
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 425 F.
Mix together in a large bowl the flour, salt and pepper; add in the beef and mix well to coat all beef cubes.
Heat half of the olive oil in a large frying pan.
Add just enough beef to the pan for one layer and not overcrowding, frying until golden brown; remove browned beef to a large 13 X 9 inch baking dish and repeat with the remaining beef, as many batches as necessary.
Add the remaining oil to the pan and saute the vegetables, just until the onion and celery begins to soften but not brown, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Remove vegetables to the baking dish.
Add the stock to the frying pan and boil for a minute to deglaze the pan, making sure to scrape up all the browned bits from the pan, then add the stock to the baking dish.
Add the wine and the bay leaf to the baking dish.
Cover the pan with aluminum foil, and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes.
A few minutes before this time has elapsed, make the cobbler in a large bowl by rubbing the butter into the flour (until the butter is no longer discernible).
Mix in the parsley and 6 oz of the grated cheese.
In a smaller separate bowl beat together the eggs, milk and horseradish; add to the flour mixture and mix well.
At the end of the 1 hr 15 min baking time, remove the baking dish from the oven.
For the thickening, add the 1 oz butter to the baking dish, and sprinkle in the flour (a little at a time, mixing well after each addition).
You have the choice of applying the cobbler by spoonfuls (for a rustic look) atop the stew, or you may easily roll it out with a rolling pin (after kneading it a couple of times) to approximately the size of your pan and applying it as one crust; I prefer to roll it out, then cut it in 8 squares, applying each separately.
Top the cobbler topping with the remaining grated cheese.
Return the baking dish to the oven, and bake for 20 minutes until the top is golden brown.
Servings: 8
Time preparation: 40 min.
Time total: 135 min.