Hearty Vegetable Pot Pie

[Worker Bee]

I've had it with the hot summer weather and I'm digging out all the rib-sticking recipes I start to make when fall arrives. This one is delicious. Enjoy!


2 tbps butter
4 cups sliced carrots
3 cups sliced parsnips
3 cups sliced mushrooms
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried tarragon
1/2 tsp each, salt and pepper
2 cups frozen peas
1 can (19-oz/540 mL) corn kernals, drained (or 2 cups frozen)

3 tbsp All-Purpose Flour


Sauce:
3 tbsp butter
1/2 cup All-Purpose flour
2 cups Hot Milk
1 cup vegetable stock
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp grated lemon rind
pinch each salt and pepper

Pastry:
2 cups All-Purpose flour
1/2 tsp each salt and dried tarragon
pinch pepper
1/3 cup each butter and shortening, cubed
1 egg
1 tsp vinegar
1 tbsp milk



Pastry: In bowl, stir together flour, salt, tarragon and pepper. Using pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter and shortening until mixture resembles fine crumbs with a few larger pieces. In measuring cup and using fork, beat together egg and vinegar; add enough ice water to make 1/2 cup. Pour into flour mixture all at once; stir with fork just until dough holds together. Press into disc; wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in large shallow Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add carrots, parsnips, mushrooms, onions, garlic, tarragon, salt and pepper; cover and cook for about 12 minutes or just until carrots begin to soften. Uncover and cook, stirring until moisture is evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to large bowl; set aside and let cool.

Sauce: In same pan, melt butter over medium heat; stir in flour and cook, stirring for 1 minute, without browning. Gradually whisk in milk and vegetable stock; bring to boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, whiking often, for about 15 minutes or until thickened to consistency of pudding. Whisk in mustard, lemon rind, salt and pepper. Place plastic wrap or waxed paper directly on surface; let cool.

Add peas, corn and flour to vegetable mixture in bowl, stirring gently to mix. Pour cooled sauce over top, stirring to coat. Pour into 10-cup (2.5 L) oval or 13 x 9-inch (3 L) glass baking dish. Set aside.

On lightly floured surface, roll out chilled pastry to 1/4-inch thick oval or rectangle. Place over vegetable mixture, trimming to leave 1-inch overhang. Reserve scraps. Pinch edges of pastry over rim of dish to seal and flute.

Reroll reserved pastry scraps. Using 1-1/2-inch star-shaped cookie cutter, cut out shapes. Arrange on waxed or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. (Pie and cutouts can be prepared to this point and frozen, then wrapped separately in plastic wrap then foil and stored for up to 2 weeks; thaw in refrigerator for 48 hours).

Brush cutouts and pastry top with milk. Randomly cut three 1-1/2-inch stars out of pastry top; brush cutouts with milk. Slash steam vents in remaining top. Arrange cutouts decoratively over top. Bake in 400 degree F oven for 50 to 60 minutes or until pastry is golden and filling is bubbling. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.


Per serving: about 450 calories, 10 g protein, 21 g fat, 57 g carbohydrate, very high source fibre, good source iron.