Cooking Challenge - Week Six Revisited

Carlos is off watching the US Open (the Tennis one not the Golf one) so I have some extra time. I thought I'd post the Poulet mettre en pot la tarte recipe that I didn't post in my last Cooking Challenge entry.


Poulet mettre en pot la tarte
(also known as Chicken Pot Pie)

Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds chicken breasts and thighs (I bought a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken)
2 to 3 cups canned chicken broth
3/4 stick butter
6 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/4 cups half-and-half or milk (I used half-and-half)
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup frozen pearl onions, thawed
1/4 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup diced celery, including some of the inner yellow leaves
3 medium carrots, diced
1 cup frozen tiny peas, thawed
1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 large egg, separated (See Figure 1)



Instructions:

Put the chicken in a microwave-safe dish and pour the chicken broth over it. Cover with plastic wrap and poach in the microwave on high for 12 minutes or until the juices run clean when you pierce the chicken with the tip of a knife. If you are making the chicken ahead, take it off the bone, discard the skin, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap before refrigerating. Strain and reserve the chicken broth.

To make the sauce, keep the broth hot in a small pan on the back of the stove. In a 2-quart saucepan, melt all but a tablespoon of the butter over medium heat and, when it is sizzling, add the flour, whisking well to make a smooth golden paste. Still whisking, gradually add 2 cups of the stock and the thyme. When it is smooth, increase the heat slightly and cook the sauce until it thickens. Add the half-and-half, whisking again, and cook until the sauce is smooth. Taste for seasoning and add more stock or water if needed. If you are making the sauce ahead, cool it and refrigerate it, then reheat it just before you put the pie together.


To assemble the pie (see Figure 2), melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in a large skillet and add the onions, mushrooms, celery, and carrots. Saute for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables just begin to soften. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cut the chicken into large cubes.

Preheat the oven to 400°. In a large ovenproof casserole or 6 individual ones, mix the chicken and vegetables, including the peas. Pour the warm sauce over and mix everything together well. Fit a sheet of puff pastry (see Figure 3) over the casserole, sealing it well around the edges with a little beaten egg white. Paint the top with beaten egg yolk. Cut slits on top in a decorative pattern for the steam to escape. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the crust is puffed and golden.




Until Week Seven, Bon Appétit!