Gourmet Vegetable Pot Pie

Gourmet Vegetable Pot Pie

This recipe is inspired by The Essential Vegetarian Cookbook, from Australia. If you want to spend quality time together in the kitchen, then you will like this hearty main dish. You can do many variations with the vegetables. The dish is very colorful, using orange, green and red vegetables along with potatoes. This was our first time to use real pumpkin, so of course we had to play with it first.

Chicken Pot Pie

Vegetable Pot Pie

Makes 4 Individual Pot Pies

We used two small baking dishes, 1 ½ cup and two slightly larger, 2 cup.

1 sheet ready-rolled puff pastry (found in frozen bread department)

1 chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces, season to taste

2 medium potatoes, cubed ¼ inch

2 cups pumpkin, peeled and cubed ½ inch (raw pumpin, not canned)

1 cup carrot, peeled, cubed ¼ inch

2 small broccoli florets, approximately 1 cup, chopped

1 medium sweet onion, chopped fine

½ cup red bell pepper, cubed ¼ inch

½ cup celery, chopped ¼ inch

1 Tablespoon olive oil

3 Tablespoons butter

2 cups milk (2%)

2 Tablespoons corn starch

¼ cup Gruyère cheese, sliced thin (can substitute Swiss or cheddar, shredded)

2 egg yolks

1 egg white, slightly beaten

Salt and cayenne pepper to taste

1 teaspoon poppy seeds

Take 1 sheet of ready-rolled puff pastry out of freezer and thaw.

Preheat oven to 415 degrees Fahrenheit.

Spray four small baking dishes with cooking spray.

Cook chicken breast in small skillet and 1 Tablespoon olive oil over medium heat until no longer pink in center.

Cut potatoes, carrots, pumpkin, broccoli, onion, red bell peppers and celery.

Place potatoes and carrots in steamer and steam until tender, remove and put in large mixing bowl.

Steam pumpkin and broccoli until tender, remove and add to large mixing bowl. (Pumpkin and broccoli do not take as long as the potatoes and carrots.)

In a small skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat and add onions, red bell peppers and celery until soft, approximately 3 minutes. Add to the large mixing bowl.

Completed Sauce

SAUCE RECIPE: We have found it is better to have one person in charge of making the sauce, as it needs constant attention.

Heat the butter in a large skillet and add corn starch. Stir over low heat for about 2 minutes, or until lightly golden.

Add the milk gradually, whisking until smooth. This may be lumpy but keep pouring in the milk and whisk briskly. Over medium heat whisk for approximately 3 minutes or until the mixture boils and thickens. Boil for another minute, then remove from heat and cool slightly.

Add the cheese and the egg yolks to the sauce and stir to combine.

Season with salt to taste.

Add the sauce to the vegetables and stir to combine.

Vegetarian Version	Meat Lovers Version
Remove two helpings of the vegetable mixture and place in individual baking dishes. Lay out the puff pastry on a flat, lightly floured surface. Cut the circles out of the pastry to fit the top of the baking dish, place in dish and press the edges to seal. Brush with whisked egg white Sprinkle with poppy seeds Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.	Add cooked chicken to remaining vegetable mix. Remove two helpings of the vegetable mixture and place in individual baking dishes. Lay out the puff pastry on a flat, lightly floured surface. Cut the circles out of the pastry to fit the top of the baking dish, place in dish and press the edges to seal. Brush with whisked egg white Sprinkle with poppy seeds Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown

Our little pumpkin before we cut into pieces