I love short rib pot pie, and it's one of my most requested dishes.

Step one: Caramelize a ton of onions. I usually do a couple kilos at a time because it takes a while, but it's worth the effort. Get a couple slabs of bacon (salo also works) and render out the fat. Throw in half a stick of butter, heat until bubbling. Turn down heat. Throw in chopped up onions, stir it up, turn on low. Keep stirring occasionally for 20-40 minutes. You may have to add water sometimes after the liquid in the onions evaporates. When they're lovely and brown, pour dry white wine over them (I use chardonnay) and continue to cook until wine evaporates. I usually do this in advance, and I usually do it in well-seasoned cast iron. (If your cast iron is well-seasoned, using acidic ingredients will not make it taste tangy.)

Step two: Braise the short ribs. This also typically takes all day. In a cast iron dutch oven, render out more fat from bacon, add a little butter. Salt and pepper your short ribs. Brown the short ribs on all sides in batches. Be patient. Actually let the things brown. Once done, put all short ribs back into the pot, sprinkle with some flour, and pour in equal amounts stock and dry red wine (usually I use Merlot, but whatever). I also usually add in a bouquet garni of bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary, but if I don't have it, whatever. Turn heat to low, cover, and let go for a few hours.

Step three: Roast mushrooms. Chop up mushrooms of choice (I usually use white button just because they're cheap), toss with an oil possessing a low smoke point (so not olive or sesame) along with salt and pepper. Throw on a baking sheet, toss into oven at a reasonably high temperature until they're nice and browned. Usually 30 minutes; check at 15 and give the pan a shake.

Step three: Make crust. Any crust you want is fine, so long as it's not sweet. I like mine to be flaky, so I do a mix of butter and shortening for the best of both worlds. Let sit in the fridge for at least a couple of hours.

When the short ribs are finished, I usually put them in the refrigerator overnight so that the fat will rise to the top and it can be easily skimmed. (Not to say that you don't want any fat in it. It's just that short ribs do tend to be quite fatty, and if you don't skim the liquid will be a bit oily and in my opinion, not as good.)

When ready to assemble the pie, remove the bones from the short ribs (if you've braised them properly, you quite literally just have to pick them up and the meat should fall off the bone) and heat up on the stove. Add in onions and mushrooms, mix up (if you still have any of that bacon you used for fat rendering, feel free to crumble it in). Put into ramekins or a single pie dish depending on preference. Roll out dough to appropriate size and cover the filling, crimping into a pretty design and poking some holes in it for ventilation. Brush with cream. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes (preferably the large finishing salt ones for visual appeal).

Put into moderately heated oven and wait for the crust to brown. Take out, let sit for at least 10 minutes (use your chef's knife to defend your creation from the hungry horde that has no doubt showed up at this point; deflect all marriage proposals as they are being made with animal brains and not romantic ones), and then serve.

If you want sides, I suggest fresh green beans or some form side salad as this is a bit heavy. But this is also equally fine just with a nice baguette. Or simply eaten with your hands so you can lick the pie plate like a total animal.

Knocks 'em dead every time.