easy eating.
Nov. 5th, 2003 08:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gfrancieChicken pot pie.
Actually this recipe is called Chicken in the Garden and it comes from one of my favorite cookbooks. "Square Meals" by Jane and Michael Stern. They are some of the best writers on the subject of American cuisine. They know a lot about barbecue and know the best places in the country to get your fill. They know a lot about the history of American cuisine. They know good diner food. They are the people with whom to have a meal.
This particular recipe also comes from World War II. The idea was the use vegetables you had grown in your victory garden and a cheap stewing chicken. (It wasn't until after World War II that chickens became fairly cheap meat to acquire)
To make this recipe you don't always need a whole chicken. Last night I used three chicken thighs. I let them simmer for half an hour in water with a dash of salt (this is creating your chicken stock for later) Remove the chicken, cut it up into small pieces. set aside.
If you are feeling inspired and have a few people to feed one should use a whole chicken. You can cut it up, (remove the skin) and simmer that until white. Remove the meat from the bones. It is really really easy.
Now onto the vegetables. Peel and slice three potatoes, mince one onion, and peel and slice three carrots.
Saute the onions in a few tablespoons of butter. Once the onions are a golden color (but not brown) you add the chicken stir together for minute. Put the chicken and onion in a pyrex dish. (or hotdish plate) Next you boil the potatoes in the chicken stock, but you want to keep an eye on the potatoes. The idea isn't to over-cook them and make them mushy. spoon out the potatoes and put on top of the chicken. Then add the carrots to the dish. You don't want to pre-cook them, because it will merely make them mushy and there will be hardly any nutrients in them. I sometimes add uncooked sliced celery. It adds a bit of color. One can also add peas. Essentially you add the things you like to eat.
Now to make the chicken gravy. (this is the part where people cheer)
You take a few tablespoons of butter and melt in a pan over medium heat. You don't want to brown the butter. You then add a few tablespoons of flour and one tablespoon of Worcestershire Sauce and whisk together and then add a cup of milk. A little salt doesn't hurt either.
You will stir together until it is thick. Add one cup of chicken stock and keep stirring. You don't want it to be thin, nor do you want it to be paste thick.
You pour that over the chicken and vegetables and mix together.
Now to create the top.
You take 4 tablespoons of cold butter and blend that together with 2/3 cup of flour, 1 tablespoon of sugar, a dash of salt, and 2 teaspoons of chopped parsley or basil (whatever pretty green herb suits you)
once the butter and flour are blended together (the butter should be the size of peas) you add a couple of tablespoons of ice water. Mix together and roll out on a floured table top. About 1/4 inch thick. Cut circle shapes out and lay on top of the chicken and vegetables. Use scraps to fill in various gaps. It should have some open spaces and this is a fairly casual dishes so one shouldn't worry about presentation.
Bake at 350 for 40 minutes or until the dough is golden brown.
Serve this up in a bowl, drink lots of milk or beer, take a nap.
But this is my own advice.
It tastes really good the next day when you might reheat it for lunch.
Actually this recipe is called Chicken in the Garden and it comes from one of my favorite cookbooks. "Square Meals" by Jane and Michael Stern. They are some of the best writers on the subject of American cuisine. They know a lot about barbecue and know the best places in the country to get your fill. They know a lot about the history of American cuisine. They know good diner food. They are the people with whom to have a meal.
This particular recipe also comes from World War II. The idea was the use vegetables you had grown in your victory garden and a cheap stewing chicken. (It wasn't until after World War II that chickens became fairly cheap meat to acquire)
To make this recipe you don't always need a whole chicken. Last night I used three chicken thighs. I let them simmer for half an hour in water with a dash of salt (this is creating your chicken stock for later) Remove the chicken, cut it up into small pieces. set aside.
If you are feeling inspired and have a few people to feed one should use a whole chicken. You can cut it up, (remove the skin) and simmer that until white. Remove the meat from the bones. It is really really easy.
Now onto the vegetables. Peel and slice three potatoes, mince one onion, and peel and slice three carrots.
Saute the onions in a few tablespoons of butter. Once the onions are a golden color (but not brown) you add the chicken stir together for minute. Put the chicken and onion in a pyrex dish. (or hotdish plate) Next you boil the potatoes in the chicken stock, but you want to keep an eye on the potatoes. The idea isn't to over-cook them and make them mushy. spoon out the potatoes and put on top of the chicken. Then add the carrots to the dish. You don't want to pre-cook them, because it will merely make them mushy and there will be hardly any nutrients in them. I sometimes add uncooked sliced celery. It adds a bit of color. One can also add peas. Essentially you add the things you like to eat.
Now to make the chicken gravy. (this is the part where people cheer)
You take a few tablespoons of butter and melt in a pan over medium heat. You don't want to brown the butter. You then add a few tablespoons of flour and one tablespoon of Worcestershire Sauce and whisk together and then add a cup of milk. A little salt doesn't hurt either.
You will stir together until it is thick. Add one cup of chicken stock and keep stirring. You don't want it to be thin, nor do you want it to be paste thick.
You pour that over the chicken and vegetables and mix together.
Now to create the top.
You take 4 tablespoons of cold butter and blend that together with 2/3 cup of flour, 1 tablespoon of sugar, a dash of salt, and 2 teaspoons of chopped parsley or basil (whatever pretty green herb suits you)
once the butter and flour are blended together (the butter should be the size of peas) you add a couple of tablespoons of ice water. Mix together and roll out on a floured table top. About 1/4 inch thick. Cut circle shapes out and lay on top of the chicken and vegetables. Use scraps to fill in various gaps. It should have some open spaces and this is a fairly casual dishes so one shouldn't worry about presentation.
Bake at 350 for 40 minutes or until the dough is golden brown.
Serve this up in a bowl, drink lots of milk or beer, take a nap.
But this is my own advice.
It tastes really good the next day when you might reheat it for lunch.
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no subject
Date: 2003-11-06 06:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-11-06 04:38 pm (UTC)One likes to help a person save money on software.
no subject
Date: 2003-11-06 04:36 pm (UTC)Essentially you need this:
1 chicken
21/2 cups of water
dash of salt&pepper
three-four potatoes
3-4 carrots
3/4 cup peas or celery
1 yellow onion
4 tablespoons of butter
1 tablespoon of wors. sauce
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup of milk
1 cup of chicken stock
4 tablespoons of cold butter
1 tablespoon of sugar
2/3 cup of flour
dash of salt
1-2 tablespoons of chopped parsley or basil
The problem is I don't really measure anymore with certain dishes. I kind of make it up as I go along.
no subject
Date: 2003-11-06 05:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-11-06 05:41 pm (UTC)It wouldn't hurt to steam it briefly (for like less them five minutes) but I think could probably toss it in uncooked. Since it will be baked in the oven.
Too many people overcook their vegetables as it is.