Boeuf en Croute

I made Boeuf en Croute this weekend.  The following recipe is adapted from a recipe I found in a Better Homes and Gardens cookbook and I've seen if floating around the web in various spots.  The advantage of
this recipe is that it uses a marinated Eye of the Round Roast rather than a more expensive cut.  Marinating the roast overnight makes for a tenderer roast although serving it in thin slices will also help.  If you're planning on using a more expensive and tender cut then you may at your own discretion omit the marinating.

Beef En Croute

Ingredients

eye of the round roast
1 onion diced
2 bay leaves
red wine (I suggest Madeira, Red Bordeaux or Burgoyne)
dry sherry or dry port

4-8 ounces of liver sausage
1-2 leeks
4-8 ounces of mushrooms
1/4 cup of breadcrumbs
ghee

2 cups of flour
2/3cup of lard
1/2 tsp of salt
1/3-1/2 cup of COLD water
1 egg beaten

butter
flour
beef bouillion

Equipment

shallow roasting pan with rack
silicon spreader
pastry cutter
pot
rolling pin
ziploc bag big enough for the roast.
plastic wrap

Put the roast in a Ziploc bag along with the onions and bay leaves.  Fill the bag with sherry and red wine mixed in a one to one ratio.  Work as much air out of the bag as possible and seal.  Place in the fridge overnight turn the roast over occasionally to ensure an even distribution of marinade.

Pre-heat the oven to 425F.  While you're waiting for the oven to heat, fry the mushrooms and leeks together in ghee until the leeks are soft.  Remove from heat and add the bread crumbs and liver sausage.  Remove the roast from the marinade (reserving the marinade) and place on a rack in shallow roasting pan, roast in oven until the internal temperature reaches 130F.  Meanwhile mix a bit of the marinade into the leek/mushroom/liver mixture (2-3 tbsp).  Refrigerate the mixture for at least 20 minutes.

While the roast is cooking, combine the flour and salt.  Cut the lard into the flour until the mix forms peanut sized lumps.  Add COLD water to the flour and lard one tbsp at a time and fluff with a fork until the flour is moistened.  Form into a ball and cover in plastic wrap.  Depending on the size of the roast you may need to make two batches of pie crust.

After the roast reaches 130F remove from the oven and let rest for 20 minutes.  Remove any surface fat at this point.  Place the drippings and fat in a pot double the volume with water and add about a 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the reserved marinade, bring to a slow boil.  Roll out the pie crust until it will cover the whole roast with a bit left over.  Using the silicon spreader spread a bit of the leek mushroom mixture on the top of the roast.  Invert the roast and place mixture side down in the middle of the pie crust.  Cover the rest of the roast with a thin layer (1/4") of the leek mix.  Paint the edges of the pie crust with egg.  Fold up and over the roast.  Place the roast back in the pan with the seam down.  Use the remaining egg as a wash on the pie crust.  Cook until golden brown (about 30 minutes).  While the roast is in the oven add the beef bouillon to the drippings and strain out the remaining solids.  Make a roue and thicken the gravy.  Remove from the oven and allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.

I also recommend that you put a couple of small slits in the top of the crust to let the steam escape or the crust may crack or slump.  You may also take the leftover crust and create a lattice on the top of the roast.  You may substitute liver pate for the liver sausage.  Personally I prefer the sausage.