Pot Roast Stew with Stilton Crust

One of the best pot roast recipes ever!

For the filling:

7 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb button mushrooms, quartered
2 cups frozen pearl onions, thawed
Salt & pepper to taste
3 lb beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup all-purpose flour
24 oz Yankee Pot Roast Braising Base
1 lb carrots, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 lb Yukon Gold Potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice

For the Stilton Pastry:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
16 Tbsp cold butter cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/3 to 1/2 cup ice water
4 ox Stilton cheese, crumbled

1 egg, beaten with 1 tsp water

To make the filling:

In a 5 1/2 quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat warm 1 Tbsp of the Olive Oil.
Add the mushrooms, onions, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Transfer to bowl.
Season the beef with salt & pepper.
Dredge the beef in the flour, shaking off the excess.
In the Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm 2 Tbsp of the olive oil.
Add one-third of the beef and brown on all sides (about 7 minutes total) - Transfer to separate bowl
Add 1/2 cup water to the pot, stirring to scrap up the browned bits. Pour the liquid into a separate bowl.
Repeat the process 2 more times

Return the pot to medium-high heat, Add the beef, liquid, mushrooms, onions and braising base. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low, cove & simmer, stirring occasionally for 3 hours adding the potatoes and carrots after 1 1/2 hours of cooking.

To make the Stilton pastry:

In a food processor combine flour, salt & sugar and pulse until blended (about 5 pulses).
Add the butter & process until mixture resembles coarse meal (about 10 pulses)
Add 1/3 cup ice water & pulse 2 or 3 times. The dough should hold together when squeezed with your fingers but not be sticky. If it is crumbly add water 1 Tbsp at a time.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface & shape into a disk
Wrap in plastic wrap & refrigerate for 1 hour
Let dough stand at room temperature for 5 minutes.
Sprinkle the top with flour
Place on lightly floured parchment & roll out into 12-by-16-inch rectangle.
Sprinkle the cheese over half the dough, then fold the other half over the cheese. Roll out into a 16-inch square
Refrigerate about 10 minutes

Preheat an oven to 400

Brush the rim of the pot with water
Lay the pastry over the top, allowing it to droop into the filling. Trim the dough, leaving a 1-inch overhang and crimp to seal.
Brush pastry with egg mixture  and cut 4 slits in the top
Bake for 30 minutes
Let rest 15 minutes before serving

serves 8-10