By Jerry Nunn
It’s fall and many of us will be staying indoors more. I recently attended a cooking demonstration at Marshall Field’s (or is it Macy’s?) celebrating Culinary Week with a tribute to Mrs. Hering’s Chicken Pot Pie. Here is a sneak peek at the recipe, so you can enjoy restaurant style food at home, before Field’s cookbook is published next year:
Mrs. Hering’s Chicken Pot Pie Recipe
Ingredients:
— 1 sheet frozen puff pastry dough, thawed
— 3 tablespoons chicken fat or butter
— one-quarter cup all-purpose flour
— 2 cups chicken broth
— Salt and pepper to taste
— 12 ounces cooked chicken breast meat, cut into strips
— One-quarter cup tiny frozen peas, thawed
— One-quarter cup diced cooked carrot
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 450° F. Have ready individual casseroles with 1 and one-half cup to 2-cup capacity.
2. Cut circles from the puff pastry to fit the tops of the casseroles. Make two 1-inch slashes in the center of each casserole.
3. Melt fat or butter in a medium pan and stir in flour. Add broth, whisking until smooth. Heat to a boil and cook 1 to 2 minutes until thickened. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Add chicken, peas, and carrot. Divide the mixture among the casseroles. Top with a pastry round, tucking the edges in.
5. Bake 22 to 27 minutes until puffy and golden. Serve hot.
Makes 4 servings.
See how this makes a quick dish? Remember, this is a restaurant-inspired presentation, not your momma’s pot pie or the frozen Morton version. Mrs. Hering has given this a great style and taste. So, when that winter chill keeps you inside, invite some friends over, use your Marshall Field’s cookware and make it a pot pie party night!