Elk Pot Pie

A delicious elk stew under a fluffy pastry topping.
Makes 2 hearty meat pies.



Ingredients

2 - 3 tbsp canola oil
1 lb elk stew meat, cut into 1/2 - 3/4 inch cubes
4 shallots, peeled and diced
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup dry red wine (tawny port or dry sherry may be substituted)
1 3/4 cup stock (chicken, beef, or vegetable)
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 - 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
3/4 tsp dry thyme
3/4 tsp dry rosemary
1/2 cup diced carrot
1/3 cup frozen peas

200g frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, beaten slightly

Method

Heat 2 tbsp canola oil over medium high heat in cast iron frying pan.
Once hot, add cubed elk meat and brown on all sides.
Remove browned meat cubes from pan with slotted spoon and put in a small Dutch oven.

Reduce heat to medium and add more canola oil to frying pan if necessary.
Saute shallots and garlic for 2-3 minutes or until shallots begin to soften.
Add to Dutch oven.
Wipe frying pan clean with paper towel.

Increase heat to medium-high and add butter and flour to frying pan.
Cook, stirring the whole time.
When flour mixture begins to brown add red wine and stock.
Whisk in the tomato paste, salt, black pepper, thyme, and rosemary.
Bring mixture to a boil.
Remove from heat and add frying pan contents to Dutch oven.
Blend with a couple of stirs and cover.

Place Dutch oven in the middle of a 300F oven and cook for 1 1/2 hours stirring once or twice.
Remove from oven, add diced carrots and return to the oven, covered.
Continue to cook for another 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and blend in frozen peas.
Split the filling mixture between two oven proof dishes (each of 2 to 2 1/2 cup capacity).

Roll out puff pastry on a floured surface.
It should be rolled out wide enough to allow for a one inch overhang over each of the dishes.
Split the rolled pastry in half and fit each section over the top of the oven proof dishes.
Stretch pastry over the lip of each dish so that there is an overhang of at least an inch.
Brush tops with beaten egg and cut 4 steam vents in pastry.
Bake in 375F convection oven for 30 minutes.