Lunch: Biscuit-Topped Beef Stew

Ingredients

4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
1 pound chuck roast, cut into 1-inch pieces
3/4 cup medium-diced carrots
3/4 cup medium-diced celery
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Salt and pepper
1 cup red wine
4 cups beef stock
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup pearl onions, peeled
1 cup diced button mushrooms
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

Special equipment: four 10-ounce ramekins
For the beef stew: In a heavy saucepan, fry the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon and reserve. Brown the beef slowly on all sides in the bacon fat and remove. Add the carrots and celery and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the reserved bacon and beef back into the pan. Sprinkle with the flour and some salt and pepper and toss to coat evenly. Add the wine and let it reduce by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the beef stock, thyme and garlic. Cover and cook over low heat for 1 hour. Add the onions to the stew and cook for an additional 15 minutes. Add the mushrooms and parsley, season with more salt and pepper and cook an additional 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
For the biscuits: In a bowl and using your fingers, mix together the flour and coconut oil very well until the mixture feels crumbly. Add the milk and mix (but don't overmix). Knead the dough just a couple of times, then roll it out to a thickness of 1/2 inch on a floured surface. Cut into 3-inch rounds.
Ladle the stew into four 10-ounce ramekins, filling them three-quarters full. Top each with a biscuit round and brush the biscuits with melted butter. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake until the biscuits are golden brown, about 15 minutes.
NotesCook's Note: Avoid over-kneading the biscuits to keep them tender and flaky.
If desired, bake the remaining dough scraps on the baking sheet along with the ramekins. Crumble the biscuit scraps on top of fruit and serve with whipped cream or chocolate sauce.