I heart Pot Pies; Quick and Easy Pot Pies

Chicken or any other combination that makes you happy!

You've roasted tons of chicken (or have a treasure trove of root vegetables and mushrooms), now what?  It's time to work some magic..... 

Pot Pies.

I have streamlined this recipe by cooking the filling on the stove while the crusts are baking in the oven. It saves time and it keeps the crusts from becoming soggy.

I also make my own puff pastry, pie dough or biscuit toppings. However, purchasing ready made dough will make these even easier.  In the photo above: Puff Pastry Pie (my favorite), the one in the back is, Pie Crust Pot pie ( my daughter's favorite).

Read through the recipe; assemble, chop and measure all your ingredients before beginning. Although I like my vegetables to be large and rustic, cutting your veggies smaller (1/4-1/2 inch) AND all the same size, will allow you to cook this dish rather quickly.

Basic Pot Pie Recipe

1-2 Tbl olive oil

1/2 medium white or yellow onion, chopped

2 stalks of celery, chopped 

2-3 gloves garlic, minced

2 whole carrots, peeled and chopped

4 medium potatoes peeled and chopped

1/4 cup fresh or frozen peas (optional)

or 

1/4 cup fresh green beans, chopped (optional)

2-3 quarts Chicken or vegetable stock

1 BG (Bouquet Garni= 6 whole peppercorns, 1 bay leaf, 4 stems fresh thyme, 6 stems parsley, no leaves) I just throw everything in the pot and remove it later.

2 Cups chicken meat, or 2 cups sauteed mushrooms

3 Tbl butter

4 Tbl flour

1/2 cup milk or half & half

1/2 cup Sharp cheddar cheese, or smoked Gouda, or 3 Tbl Parmesan  (optional)

pinch of cayenne pepper

Kosher or sea salt

Fresh Ground pepper

Squeeze of fresh lemon

Topping Options:

Puff pastry

Pie Crust

Biscuit dough

Egg wash (1 egg with a Tbl of cream or milk)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Line sheet pan with parchment

*In a 3 cup bowl; melt butter in the microwave, then stir in flour. Set mixture aside.

*Heat oil in a 4-5 quart pot over medium-low heat. Next add; onions, celery, carrots and garlic, and gently sweat (sauteing without achieving color) for 3-4 minutes, then add potatoes, BG (herb mixture) and stock. Turn heat to medium high and simmer until potatoes are cooked through, about 10-13 minutes.

*While vegetables are simmering; cut/shape your chosen crust into desired shapes, place on parchment paper or a well oiled sheet pan.  Brush the tops of pastry/pie crust/biscuit dough with egg wash ( make sure the egg does not run over the edges of each crust) and bake in 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until the crusts are golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside.

Note: I like a top and bottom crust on my pot pies, so I cut one top crust and one smaller bottom crust for each serving. 

*Once the potatoes are cooked, add chicken, and green beans if using. Cook mixture for an additional 5-7 minutes (more if you want softer green beans). 

* Remove bay leaf, thyme and parsley stems. Carefully, take one ladle of hot stock from chicken pot pie base and slowly whisk it into your butter and flour mixture. Whisk until all the liquid is completely combined. Now add milk and cheese,  and whisk again.  Add one more small ladle of hot liquid, whisk completely, pour flour mixture back into simmering pot and stir until combined. Add fresh or frozen peas, if using. Continue to simmer until base is nice and thick. It should take about 5 minutes. 

Taste. Add salt, pepper, cayenne and a squeeze of  lemon. Taste and adjust seasonings; also, fresh chopped parsley is a nice touch.

To serve: Place bowls in warm oven during the last 5 minutes of cooking time. When bowls are warm, place one crust in bottom of bowl, ladle hot filling into bowl, then top with larger crust. Serve at once!

One final note: The pot pie base doubles or triples easily,  and the extra filling can be packaged into sealable freezer bags.  Divide cooled mixture into quart or gallon freezer bags. Label and date each.  Place flat on sheet pan and freeze. Once frozen, remove sheet pan and filling will store easily.  When ready to use, defrost portion in the refrigerator and reheat mixture on the stove top or in microwave and follow the direction for pastry topping.

Enjoy, 

Chef Deb T.

Stay home, and eat better: "Slow" Roast Chicken

Today, I want to add a quick recipe for those of you who own a Slow Cooker (Crock pot) and do not want to be bothered with the oven when you come home for dinner.

The beauty of using your slow cooker is you can put this recipe together in the morning before work, or at night before you go to bed.  Use your favorite seasonings: Lemon thyme; Dry BBQ rub; Jerk Seasoning; 40 Cloves of Garlic; asian 5-spice; Indian Curry,  the possibilities are endless.

If you have a large slow cooker, cook two whole chickens at once.

This recipe was originally published by Rival.

1 3 1/2-4 lb  whole chicken, rinsed and dried, trim away extra fat

2 Tbl olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

Juice of one lemon

1 Tbl of your favorite Herb or seasoning (Thyme, rosemary, tarragon, ginger. oregano, zatar, etc.,)

2 stalks celery

1 carrot, peeled, cut in half

1/2 onion sliced 

Kosher salt

pepper

Mix oil, garlic, lemon juice and seasonings together.

Rub oil/herb mixture over the whole bird, generously salt and pepper.

Next, line the bottom of slow cooker with celery and carrot and top with sliced onion.  In essence, you are creating a vegetable "rack" for your chicken. Place chicken on top of vegetables, breast side up, and cover slow cooker with lid.  Turn the appliance on low.  Cook for 9-10 hours on Low. Or 4-6 hours on medium. **

**If you have an appliance with a removable liner and you want a crispy skin, you have the option of browning the chicken in a 450 degree oven for 15 minutes before serving.

( I will post the photo this evening)

Stay home, and eat better: Quick Roast Chicken

I want to take some time this month and discuss a few basic food techniques that might help many of you in the kitchen.  Today's topic is: Roast Chicken. 

Not the ones you pick up at the grocery, which have been sitting under heat lamps in plastic since mid-afternoon, but rather, the one's you cook yourself. 

At Home, in YOUR oven.

I know, it's been awhile.  Maybe you don't remember how to roast a whole bird; maybe you think it takes too long; or maybe you forgot how good whole chicken can be. 

Well....

I have two points to make: 

1. Fresh/Frozen whole chickens are economical. 

I buy my chickens in bulk from a local farm, but the price can run from $ .98/lb. at the superstore chains to $1.69 lb. or more at the natural store chains.  Of course, the more human hands touch your chicken, the higher the price per pound. That explains why you will pay $4.99- $8.99 per pound for boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  I will spare you my thoughts on boneless, skinless chicken ...(but think about how much time and effort you spend trying to make it taste like something special, when all you had to do was LEAVE the skin and bones on...,I know, I said I would not talk about it..).

2. There are a few techniques I will show you to cut the roasting time of your chicken in half, to about 30-35 minutes. And while you are at it and the oven is on, you might as well throw a few more whole chickens in and use them the rest of the week in lunches, stews or quick pasta dinners. 

Quick Roast Chicken

1  3 1/2-4 lb chicken 

1 tsp kosher or sea salt

Fresh ground black pepper

2 Tbl olive oil

Juice and zest of 1 lemon (if using meyer lemons seed and dice the whole lemon)

Fresh Thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme leaves

2 cloves minced garlic

Heat your oven to 450 degrees. 

Preheat an oven safe skillet on the stovetop for 5 minutes on medium to medium high**

** if you do not have an oven safe skillet, transfer your chickens to a sheet pan that has 1-inch sides, then place in the oven.

Mix salt, pepper, oil, lemons, thyme and garlic in bowl and set aside.

Rinse Chicken and pat dry. Using large sharp knife or kitchen shear, remove the backbone from the chicken (put the backbone in a freezer bag, freeze and save for making stock...YES, you will make stock on a later date!) Next, cut the wing tips off at the first joint (save for stock).

Now, turn the chicken over, skin side down on the board and score the cartilage between the breastbone. Turn the chicken over, skin side is up, and flatten out.

Unfortunately, this chicken was missing a whole wing so I cut the other side off to make it look even.

Next, rub the whole chicken with the oil/lemon mixture. I also lift up the skin and coat under the breast, thighs and legs.

Now, carefully place chicken, skin side down on preheated skillet and cook for 5 minutes.


Using tongs and a large spoon turn the chicken over, and place chicken in your preheated 450 degree oven, for 25-30 minutes. Chicken is ready when a meat thermometer reaches 170-180 degrees. I usually take mine out at 160-165 but then, I am a risk taker. If you don't have a temp gauge, pierce the meat on the breast AND thigh and if the juices run clear, it's ready.



Let the chicken rest about 5 minutes before you cut into it. (Don't forget to save and freeze the cooked chicken carcass, and YES, you will use it in a different stock at a later date...!) 

Enjoy,

Chef Deb