Cooking Corner -Chicken Pot Pie

Winter is upon us with a fury! Time for comfort food to warm the soul.

All sorts of Pot Pie experiences have been going on for 1000’s of years. Here’s mine that works every time.

The 2 steps to cooking are Prep / Mis en Place and Cooking the meal. I suggest you always complete the food prep – chopping, measuring – have everything ready to go. Then cooking the meal is simple and fun.

Chicken Pot Pie

6 Servings – 6 @ 14oz oven safe bowls

LET’S TALK STOCK – Veggie, Chicken, Beef, Seafood

Water is our enemy but necessary. When we need liquid, we also want flavour, hence, Stock. Stock is basically veggies and bones cooked over low heat for hours. If you make it, make lots. It keeps in the freezer for years. That’s a recipe for another day.

For simplicity and convenience, today I am using “Better than Bullion” concentrate that you simply add to water. If you have your own chicken or veggie stock, use it.

Ingredients:

1. 4 tbsp unsalted butter

2. ½ cup Flour

3. 4 cups Chicken Stock – Veggie if you’re cooking for some Non-Meat eaters

4. 1 large White Onion diced

5. ½ cup Cream – optional

6. ¼ tsp salt & ¼ tsp pepper – Add more to taste if necessary

7. Pinch of ground Nutmeg

Method

1. In sauce pot melt butter, medium heat

2. Add onions - sweat until translucent

3. Add Flour – whisk – allow flour to cook – it will bubble a bit - about 2 minutes

4. Add Stock – one ladle at a time – keep whisking – it will thicken right away – Keep adding stock until you have the right consistency – err on the side of thinner rather than thicker

5. Add Cream - stir

6. Add Salt and Pepper – stir – TASTE – You want to taste a hint of S&P but not salty or peppery

7. Dash of ground nutmeg - stir

VEGGIE & CHICKEN MIXTURE

Amounts – Determine the volume or your bowls x how many. I needed 84 oz = 10 ½ cups.

The ingredients I used are listed below. The volume was perfect. Any size oven proof bowl will work.

Traditionally, Carrots, Celery, Peas, Onion and garlic are the basic ingredients. I suggest you use up appropriate vegetables that are nearing expiry. Check ingredients to see what I did.

Ingredients:

1. Chicken – I used a pre-roasted chicken from the store. I remove the meat when still warm. Easy. Freeze the bones to be used in Stock in the future. I used the breast meat. Tear it apart in bite sized pieces. If you use raw chicken – cut into bite size pieces and pan fry in butter.

2. Mushrooms cut chunky – this I add for the veggie people

3. ½ cup white wine – no alcohol? - use Stock

4. 2 cups Carrots peeled – cut into small bite size pieces

5. 2 cups Celery – cut into small bite size pieces

6. 4 Cups Potatoes peeled – cut into small bite size pieces

7. 2 cups frozen Peas

8. 4 Garlic buds minced or pressed – cooked garlic is milder

9. 1 tbsp fresh thyme or ¼ tsp dry ground

10. 1 tbsp fresh sage or ¼ tsp dry ground

11. Salt and Pepper – lighter is better

Method:

In a large pot or Dutch oven.

1. 1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter

2. Add mushrooms – sprinkle with salt to help water to cook out – cook

3. Add Wine, Veggies and herbs.

4. Simmer and stir occasionally with lid on until carrots and potatoes are 90% cooked

5. Add SAUCE – mix carefully with spatula

6. Final Salt and Pepper to taste

7. Fill the Bowls almost to the top. Start with Veggie portions. Then add the Chicken – stir – serve.

PUFF PASTRY TOP

You can buy Puff Pastry frozen in sheets. Temperature control is important. Thaw and keep in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. It will come in big squares.

Flour both sides of the pastry. I cut the squares into 4 and they more than covered the bowls.

I cut off the corners and used them for decoration. V for Veggie and a small circle for meat ones.

Place Puff Pastry on each bowl. It should hang down over the edge of the bowl. If you need to make them bigger, simply use a rolling pin.

EGG WASH

1 Egg Yolk and 2 oz Cream – stri with a fork. With a pastry brush, thoroughly coat the Puff Pastry. If you put a decoration on top, it needs to be coated as well.

Bake in 400 degree pre-heated oven for 30 minutes. Puff Pastry needs to be baked at 400 degrees. It will be very hot. Allow to cool a bit and serve.

Extra portions can be kept in fridge for a few days or frozen. From frozen, allow to thaw, microwave for 2 minutes, 20 minutes in 350 degree oven. ■