Cook a comfort classic: Steak and potato potpie

Phil Lempert TODAY Food Editor • Profile • E-mail

In this special weekly feature, TODAY Food editor Phil Lempert brings you recipes “stolen” (with permission) from notable restaurants across America. See how much fun you can have (and money you can save) by cooking these dishes at home.

THIS WEEK: Auntie Em's Steak and Potato Potpie of Auntie Em's Kitchen in Los Angeles, California

This week's recipe, stolen from Theresa Wahl, chef and owner of Auntie Em's Kitchen in the Eagle Rock neighborhood of Los Angeles, is a comfort food classic. Steak and potato potpie might not be what comes to mind when you visit the kitchen of a former member of The Red Aunts all-girl punk band, but one bite will convince you it’s the perfect recipe for the long winter nights (even in Southern California!) that are fast approaching after last week’s Daylight Savings Time change!  

Auntie Em’s Kitchen is known for its farm-fresh, seasonal comfort food and is always served with Theresa’s mantra: “If it can’t be found at the farmer’s market, it won’t be found on your plate.”

About the chef: Terri Wahl oversees the restaurant’s breakfast and lunch service while also managing the charming marketplace and cheese shop next door. Terri cites her “love for food and really good ingredients” as inspiration. When not busy in the kitchen at Auntie Em’s planning new menus or overseeing their growing catering business, Wahl enjoys snacking on good artisan cheese, reading cookbooks, creating recipes, traveling and checking out the local food scene.

Wahl sang and played guitar for The Red Aunts, the all-girl punk band that achieved instant worldwide acclaim and underground fame. While touring the United States, Europe and Japan with The Red Aunts, Wahl was constantly inspired by the different tastes and cuisines she sampled and she always made a point to visit local favorites in each of the regions where she traveled.

It was this inspiration that reignited her culinary passion — fueled by the fact that she was tired of sleeping on punk-rock kids’ floors — and led her to start her catering business in 1996 and open Auntie Em's Kitchen in 2001. She lives with her husband, Thomas — along with their three dogs, Penny, Sammy and Stella — in Mt. Washington, just one mile from her restaurant, and can often be found listening to classic jazz or punk rock, depending on her mood. 

Auntie Em's steak and potato potpie is served at Auntie Em's Kitchen for $10.95

Auntie Em's steak and potato potpie Auntie Em’s Kitchen Serves 6 INGREDIENTS The pâte brisée • 2 sticks unsalted butter • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour • 1 tsp salt • 1 tsp sugar • 3-6 tbsp ice water Steak and potato filling and pie assembly • 2 lbs already braised beef rib meat pulled off the bone (you can use any cooked stewing beef, but I prefer the ribs because they have the most flavor) • 4 carrots, peeled and cut in 1-inch dice • 3 small russet potatoes, peeled and cut in 1-inch dice • 5 tbsp unsalted butter • 1 large yellow onion, chopped • 3/4 cup frozen green peas • 5 tbsp flour • 1 cup beef broth • 1/4 cup cognac or dry red wine • 1 tsp fresh rosemary • 1 tsp fresh thyme • 1 tsp salt • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper • 1 egg • 1 tsp water Recipe continues below ↓ advertisement DIRECTIONS For the pâte brisée: 1. Cut up the butter into very small pieces and place in the refrigerator or freezer while you work with the other ingredients. 2. Place the flour, salt and sugar in a food processor and pulse to combine. 3. Add the butter pieces to the dry mix and pulse until mixture forms coarse small crumbs, about 10-15 seconds. 4. Add 3 tbsp. ice water to the mixture and pulse until dough comes together and holds together when you pinch the dough between your fingers. 5. Pour the dough out onto a cutting board and shape into a ball without overworking the dough. 6. Divide into two balls and shape each into a flat round disc. 7. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour. For the steak and potato filling and pie assembly: 1. Place the potatoes in a pot of cold water. Bring this to a boil. 2. After 10 minutes, add the carrots and cook 5-10 minutes more until both the potatoes and carrots are fork tender. Drain and set the vegetables aside. 3. Melt the butter in a wide sauté pan, add the onions and cook until translucent. 4. Sprinkle in the flour; stir and cook 5 minutes, but do not brown. 5. Slowly add the broth to the onion mixture, whisking until the sauce smoothes out and thickens. 6. Add cognac, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper and cook 5 more minutes. 7. Add the beef, potatoes, carrots and frozen peas to this sauce and mix gently. 8. Pour mixture into a 2-quart casserole, soufflé dish, or large ramekins if you’re making individual potpies. 9. Roll out the pastry dough into one large circle and place over the dish or cut the pastry to fit the individual ramekins. Press down the pastry over the edges of the dish, folding them as necessary. 10. Beat together the egg and water and brush over the top of the pastry to give a nice glossy finish to the crust. 11. Cut a few steam vents in the pastry and bake for 35 minutes until golden brown. TIPS Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F MANAGE YOUR RECIPES

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