When I was in law school, about 1,000 years ago, my BFF and I used to hang out a lot -- um, I mean STUDY a lot -- at a local coffee house. Back then it was called The Double Rainbow, but the name has since changed to The Flying Star. I still call it Double Rainbow, of course.
Anyway . . .
The menu at DR featured daily specials, including soups, salads, and various entrees. The food was fabulous, and the desserts were just to die for. Pastries and breads are made fresh by their bakery every day and are just melt-in-your-mouth good.
One of their occasional offerings was an individual chicken pot pie. It happened to be a special one warm and sunny fall day, and Kelly and I were in line to order. I told her I was getting the pot pie. She said, "You can't order that today." I asked her why not. "It's just not a chicken pot pie day." I understood exactly what she meant. I ordered the quiche instead.
Although I'd never really described it that way before, the whole "chicken pot pie day" is totally spot-on. First, it has to be a chilly day -- preferably downright cold. Second, while it really shouldn't be sunny, you can get away with it if it's really cold out. Cloudy is definitely preferable, but the ideal "chicken pot pie day" is bitingly cold and rainy or snowy. Just try and tell me you don't know what I mean!
There's something just so warming and comforting about the chicken pot pie. It's completely blanketed in warm, flaky, luscious crust. When you crack open that crust, steam comes pouring out, warming your nose a little as you bend in to smell the deliciousness that is a good pot pie. The first bite should be a little bit of heavenly warmth -- tender, but not mushy, vegetables covered with hot, velvety sauce sporting a little tang, and bites of perfectly cooked chicken, moist and flavorful. It's the kind of thing that warms you from the inside out and just makes you feel loved. And who doesn't need that sometimes?
The How:
Chicken and Vegetables in a Dijon-Herb Cream Sauce, Under a Puff Pastry Crust
The Filling
2 C. cooked chicken, cubed or shredded
1 C. of onion, diced
2 to 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2.5 C. potatoes, diced into about ½ inch cubes
½ C. of celery, chopped
¾ C. of carrots, sliced
½ C. of frozen green peas, thawed (or ½ cup of green beans)
½ t. thyme, chopped
½ t. rosemary, finely chopped
Salt and Pepper
Pre-made puff pastry crust, thawed at room temperature for about 30 to 40 minutes
1 egg, beaten, plus 1 T of water (egg wash)
Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Dijon Herb Cream Sauce
4 T. butter
4 T. flour
2 C. milk
½ C. Mexican crema or heavy cream
½ to 1 C. chicken stock
¼ t. of fresh grated nutmeg
½ t. fresh or dried tarragon
½ t. fresh thyme, chopped
½ t. fresh rosemary, finely chopped
½ t. dried sage, ground (or rubbed)
½ t. dried marjoram
4 to 5 T. Dijon mustard
1 to 2 t. capers
Salt
Pepper
Vegetable filling: In a large skillet, sauté onion and garlic in EVOO for 1 to 2 minutes. Add potatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Add carrots and celery and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the peas, thyme, and rosemary, and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes, until the peas are heated through.
Sauce: Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour a little at a time, whisking constantly until mixture begins to turn golden, about 2 to 3 minutes. Slowly pour in milk, whisking constantly until mixture is smooth (do not boil). Pour in the crema / cream, and continue whisking. Add ½ cup of the chicken stock and whisk until mixture thickens, 4 to 6 minutes. If the sauce is too thick at this point, add more stock a little at a time until the sauce reaches the desired consistency (should be about the consistency of a thick gravy). Stir in nutmeg, salt and pepper. Add the tarragon, thyme, rosemary, sage, and marjoram. Add 2 tablespoons of the Dijon and stir to incorporate. At this point, taste the sauce and add more Dijon ½ tablespoon at a time until you get the level of mustard taste you prefer. Add the capers and stir to distribute.
The Assembly:
Spray 4 oven-proof large single serving ramekins (10 oz) with non-stick spray. Place a layer of the chicken on the bottom of each ramekin, and cover with the vegetable mixture to about ½ inch below the edge of the ramekin. Spoon the sauce into the ramekins until the filling is nicely covered and distributed through the vegetables and chicken.
Cut the puff pastry into squares large enough to cover the top of the ramekin, with about 1 inch of overhang. Brush the edges of one side of the crust with the egg wash, and place that side down over the ramekins, pressing the egg-washed edge to the side of the ramekin. Brush the top of the pastry with the egg wash. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over the crust.
Bake at 400 degrees (or according to package directions) until pastry is golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Let sit for about 5 minutes, then serve.
* I created this recipe based on 4 – 10 oz individual ramekins. Based on ramekin size and number you use, you may need to adjust the quantities up or down.
** If you want a faster and less labor-intensive method (or you have an especially picky mate or kids):
-- Substitute 2 cans of cream-based condensed soup (e.g. cream of chicken and/or cream of mushroom) plus 2 soup cans of milk for the Dijon cream sauce. OR – Use gravy in a jar in an amount to get your preferred sauciness. (Just add the herbs to the vegetable mixture near the end when using either of these subs).
-- Use a deli rotisserie chicken and pick the meat off.
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