Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Post-Halloween (or Post-Thanksgiving) Skillet Pot Pie



We ate candy for lunch on Sunday, so a wholesome dinner was called for. I had bought some of David Falkowski's beautiful shiitake mushrooms at the Sag Harbor Farmer's Market valeditory. I had a little leftover chicken. And a while back I had made about 10 pounds of pie dough in anticipation of the holiday. So I decided to combine these ingredients in a skillet pot pie that was quick enough to make, bake, and devour between an afternoon walk along the Pumpkin Trail and a return to Suffolk Street for some nighttime trick-or-treating. I'll save most of my pie dough for my Thanksgiving apple pies, but I'll be sure to save a piece or two for leftover turkey pot pie when the holiday is over. Here is the recipe:

Skillet Chicken and Mushroom Pot Pie
Serves 4 to 6

One recipe for single crust pie dough
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon butter
3 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 leeks, white and light green parts, finely chopped
Salt
10 ounces shiitake or button mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2 cups low-sodium canned chicken broth
1 tablespoon cooking sherry or Marsala wine
3 cups cooked shredded chicken
Ground black pepper

1. Place an oven rack on the top third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. On a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, roll the dough into a rough 10 1/2-circle. Use a plate to trim the dough into an even 10 12-inch circle. Fold 1/2-inch of the outer edge inward and press on the folded portion with the tines of a fork to create a pretty pattern. Cut five 3-inch vents into the top of the pastry with a sharp paring knife. Slide the pastry, still on the parchment, onto a baking sheet. Brush with the beaten egg and place in the freezer while you prepare the filling.
2. Melt the butter in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until almost but not quite crisp, about 5 minutes. Stir in the leeks and continue to cook until the leeks are very soft, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until they release their juices, 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the flour and thyme and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Slowly add the broth and then the sherry, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil, stirring, lower the heat, and simmer, stirring, until the sauce thickens, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken and season with salt and pepper.
4. Slide the prepared pastry on top of the pan and bake for 15 minutes. Turn the heat down to 375 degrees and continue to bake until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling, another 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the skillet to a wire rack and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

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