Curried Chicken Pot Pie

“Chicken pot pie is a comforting, home-style dish that is familiar, easy to make and tastes amazing,” says Michael Carrino, chef/owner of Pig & Prince in Montclair. “The curry flavor adds a unique element that makes an old fashioned staple a little more interesting.”

Curried Chicken Pot Pie
Photo by Laura Moss.

Yield: 6 portions

Ingredients:

1 sheet puff pastry (removed from freezer 20 minutes before assembly)
1 large, 3-4 pound chicken, all meat removed from carcass raw and cut into small pieces
2 tbs curry powder
2 tbs sea salt
1 tb paprika
1 tb fresh ground black pepper

Method:

1) Put chicken pieces in a bowl, season with all the spices, mix well, cover with plastic wrap and let sit in the refrigerator overnight.
2) Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
3) Place chicken pieces on a slightly greased cookie sheet.
4) Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until the chicken is undercooked but has color.

For Velouté: (day of)

Ingredients:

¼ cup butter
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 qt chicken stock or broth
Salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste

Method:

1) In a heavy-bottomed sauce pot, melt the butter on medium heat.
2) Add the flour and with a whisk begin to incorporate the flour and butter together to form a roux.
3) When the roux becomes a light tan color, carefully incorporate the cold chicken stock.
4) Reduce the heat to low and cook 15-20 minutes until thick, season with salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste

For the Filling:

Ingredients:

2 large carrots cut into small dice
2 large parsnips cut into small dice
2 ears corn (remove kernels from cob)
1 cup fresh peas, blanched (frozen thawed peas can be substituted)
1 large white onion cut into medium dice
2 bunches scallions sliced thin
1 tb chopped garlic
2 tbs vegetable oil for carrots and parsnips
2 tbs vegetable oil for onions and garlic
Salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

1) Pre heat oven to 350 degrees.
2) Toss the carrots and parsnips in a bowl with the vegetable oil. Season generously with salt and pepper.
3) Place vegetables on a cookie sheet and roast at 350 for 10 minutes .
4) Remove from oven, let cool slightly.
5) In a sauté pan, heat vegetable oil on high heat.
6) Carefully add onions and garlic and sweat until translucent

Assembly :

Ingredients:

1 egg beaten for brushing
Coarse sea salt

Method:

1) Pre heat oven to 375 degrees.
2) In six, uniform 8- to 10-ounce ramekins or soup crocks, evenly distribute the chicken and vegetables.
3) Pour the chicken velouté equally until each crock is full.
4) Cut the puff pastry into 6 round pieces. (Using the lid of a plastic quart container works great for this.)
5) Brush the rim of the ramekin or crock with egg wash and tightly affix the pastry to the vessel.
6) Brush the top of the pastry with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
7) Make two to four vent holes in the crust of each pot pie.
8) Bake on a cookie sheet 15 to 20 minutes or until the pastry has risen and turned golden brown.
9) Let sit 5 to 10 minutes before serving. The pot pies will be extremely hot!

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