Sunday, February 27, 2011

No Chicken Pot Pie


Can I just say OH MY GOODNESS!  This recipe was so good that David and I devoured the entire thing between two people.  It's still winter here so I will consider this part of my hibernation fare but seriously, this is a can't miss recipe.

Tools:

Food processor
Rolling pin
9'' by 13'' pyrex dish

Pastry Crust ingredients (crust from SmittenKitchen.com):

1 1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 stick of butter (8 tablespoons) chilled
1/4 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 cup ice water

Vegetable Filling (seriously there is no chicken in this):

1 cup of pearl onions
2 cups of chopped cremini mushrooms
2 small white or yukon potatoes peeled and cut into bite size pieces
2 cups of frozen vegetable assortment (carrots, green beans, lima beans)
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup water
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup of mashed potatoes (optional but HIGHLY recommended!)
salt/pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

1. Start preparing pastry crust.  Pulse flour and salt in food processor (or mixing bowl if you don't have a food processor).
2. Pulse flour mixture with butter for 30 seconds until butter is in tiny pieces (you can do this by hand with a fork and your fingers but it takes a bit longer).
3. Combine sour cream, lemon juice and water and whisk together.
4. Make a well in the middle of the butter/flour mixture and pour in half of the liquid mixture.
5. Use your hands to mix the flour and liquid for about 30 seconds.  Take out the big pieces and put on a long piece of plastic wrap (which you will eventually use to chill the dough ball).
6. Pour the remaining liquid on the bowl with the flour mixture and mix to combine (dough will be shaggy).
7. Pour the dough on the plastic wrap, needing the dough a bit and then wrapping very tightly in the wrap.  Put in the fridge for 1 hour.
8. While the dough is chilling, put a heavy pot on the stove with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and heat to medium high.
9. Once the oil is hot, add the pearl onions and let cook for a minute or two.
10. Add the mushrooms and stir to coat with oil, let cook for about 5 minutes to really cook down the mushrooms.
11. Add the diced potatoes and give another 3-4 minutes to cook.
12. Now is the time to salt your dish (to your liking).
13. Sprinkle flour over all of the veggies and stir to coat (about 30 seconds).
14. Remove the pot from the hot burner and then pour in water.
15. After another minute or so, add the heavy whipping cream (if you need to add more it is never a bad idea!).
16. Add the remaining frozen vegetables and return the pot to the hot burner, letting cook for another 3-4 minutes on low heat.
17. When dough is ready, remove from fridge and roll out to fit the baking pan.
18. Pour vegetable mixture into the dish and carefully put the rolled out dough on top.
19. Lightly prick the dough with a fork in several spots on top of the crust and brush with egg white for a nice glossy color if you have time.
20. Place in the over for about 40 minutes (or until veggies are bubbling and crust is nice and golden).
21. After pot pie is done cooking, remove from the oven and allow to sit for a few minutes.
22. Serve with hot sauce on the table and enjoy!

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Dreaming of Spring...Potato Gratin


Every time I go to the market I try my very best not to buy produce out of season, but the bum weather lately had me craving a sign of sun to come and I broke down and bought asparagus.  This recipe came to me like a bright ray of light tonight and I had to share it immediately.  The artichokes add a perfect lemony bite to the final product.  Cheers!

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Potato Gratin with Asparagus and Artichoke

4-5 yukon gold potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 shallot (thinly sliced)
1.5 pounds of asparagus, tough ends cut off and reserved for Saturday omelets
1 15 oz. can of artichoke hearts (in water)
1 cup of heavy cream
Gruyere cheese (or Beecher's cheddar if really want to spoil yourself)
3/4 cup regular bread crumbs
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
salt and pepper

Prep: Preheat oven to 375 degrees

1)  Pour about 1/4 cup of cream in the bottom of an ungreased 9x whatever pyrex dish, tilt dish to coat bottom with cream
2)  Add 1 layer of sliced potatoes
3)  Sprinkle separated pieces of shallot over the potatoes
4)  Cut asparagus into 1 1/2 inch pieces, add as the next layer over the shallots
5)  Drain artichokes and then roughly chop and sprinkle over the asparagus
6)  Generously grate cheese over the veggies
7)  Combine bread crumbs and add pepper and salt to taste (you could even add a touch of thyme)
8)  Pour bread crumbs over the veggies and cheese
9)  Top with cream (evenly distribute over the dish, if you need more cream, don't be shy!)
10)  Put in the preheated oven and check after 25 minutes, cream and cheese should be bubbling but potatoes still need 15 minutes.  Watch and make sure the bread crumbs aren't burning, if they do, cover the dish and turn the heat down to 325 for the remaining 15 minutes.

Serve with a green salad with lemon mustard dressing and dream of the spring that awaits us soon!
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