BEEF STEW COBBLER

Steps:

• 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.