Inventing a kitchen pantry from an entrance...

Chicken Pot Pie

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees

Ingredients:

2 Boneless, skinless chicken breast

3 Small golden potatoes peeled, and chopped

2-3 Carrots peeled, and chopped

1 onion sliced, or chopped (your preference)

3 Cups Chicken Stock

1/2 Cup Riesling

3-4 Teaspoons Olive Oil

1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Course Ground Black Pepper

1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cardamom

1 Teaspoon (3-4 sprigs) Rosemary finely chopped

1 Garlic clove finely chopped

3 Tablespoons Butter, plus 1 Tablespoon for coating pan

1/4 Cup Flour, plus a sprinkling for coating pan

2 Refrigerated pie crust (I'm not a skilled crust maker. I cheat!)

Method:

Boil chicken breast in 3 cups of chicken stock, on medium heat, gas mark 3, twenty minutes, or until tender.  I use 3 cups water, paired with 3 teaspoons of "Better than Bullion Chicken Stock".  Once cooked, remove breast from broth. Set broth aside, to be used later. Cut breast into small pieces.  

Hello Puppy!  The aroma of chicken cooking in stock, brings our hopeful pup to the kitchen.  Our sweet "puppy", formally named "Jade". We adopted her on St. Patrick's day, Jade, as in Jade green.  She's our precious girl.  Of course, she got a bite, or two. Who could resist that face?

Prepare a baking pan; butter and flour the pan.  This will prevent your crust from sticking.  Take a tablespoon of softened butter, spread it around the pan with your fingertips. 

Sprinkle a bit of flour into the baking pan, then shake the flour around the pan ,gently coating the bottom, and edges well.

Lay your crust into the baking pan, then pierce the bottom, and sides with a fork.  Piercing the crust will prevent it from raising, or bubbling, and allow the crust to cook snug against the baking pan surface.

Peel, and chop vegetables into small pieces, approximately a half inch square.  Finely chop rosemary, and garlic. If you like, measure out your other spices. Tip; I organize everything on the cutting board, which allows me easy access, and a nice flat surface to push ingredients off of, and in to the pan. Please note, I don't chop the onions, while Mr. GDC favors the flavor of onions, he doesn't care for them. Leaving onions in large slices provides the flavor, and easy removal.  Chop away, if you wish.

In a large pan, with a medium edge, add 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil.  Heat oil on medium high heat, gas mark 3.  

Add chopped vegetables, onion,  rosemary, garlic, sea salt, course ground black pepper, and cardamom to the oil. Sauté stirring often, 3 -4 minutes allow the seasoning, and vegetables to soften. Continue to cook, until onions begin to change in color from solid white, to soft opaque cream.

Add finely chopped garlic to the pan, continue cooking for 2 -3 minutes, until slightly brown. Scrape the bottom of the pan afterward to pull up all of the crusty bits.  Turn heat off and allow the vegetables, and seasonings to sit, whilst you begin a roux.

Make a roux base; melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a bowl, or cup in the microwave,  heat 30 seconds, on high, or until melted. 

To the cup of melted butter, add 1/4 cup flour, and stir briskly, blending well, and smooth. 

The consistency should be similar to cake batter.

Important! Make certain heat is off before continuing to the next step.  If heat is on, the roux will thicken too quickly, causing it to lump. 

Add the roux base, to the pan.  Add 3 cups of chicken stock to the pan pouring it in slowly, while stirring the broth, and roux base together until blended.  Add 1/2 cup Riesling, stirring well.  Add chopped chicken, and stir to mix.

Turn heat back on, under pan, setting it on low, to medium, gas mark 2.  Simmer the ingredients for 4, or 5 minutes, alowing the roux to thicken slightly.   Once the roux, is a bit thickened, pour the mixture in to your prepared baking pan.

Add your top crust, and cut slits for venting.  Vents will prevent your top from cracking, and the filling from spilling out.  I bake my pie sitting atop a parchment lined backing sheet, in case the pie bubbles over during the baking process.  The parchment lining protects the baking sheet, and provides easy clean up if needed. 

Place pie on baking sheet, in the center of the preheated oven.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes until the crust is golden brown. 

 Allow your pie to cool for five minutes.  Then serve with your favorite, crusty bread, or salad. 

A family fall favorite, though the temperature on the island is 80 degrees today!  The palm fronds are falling.  Enjoy -

Wishing you all the best, until next time -