I know – not very summery. But tasty and comforting just the same. And, while it may not seem particularly French, the humble pot pie is based on some very classic French techniques. First, the sauce. It’s a traditional velouté, made by thinning blond roux with stock. Stir, simmer, season, strain if you’re fussy.
Next, you’ve got your mirepoix: Sauté in a little butter, season with salt and pepper, toss with fresh parsley (or thyme or sage).
Then, of course, you have the leftover roast chicken, which I think may be the actual national dish of France. And last but not least, the crust: a classic pâte brisée. (The very same one I use for quiche, in fact. Since I planned ahead, I made a double batch and used it one night for the zucchini quiche and another for the pot pie.)
All elements of classic French cooking, combined to make one All-American meal. To top it off, we paired the chicken pot pie with a green salad and blue cheese dressing (handmade by Nick using bleu d’Auvergne).
Originally published on Croque-Camille.
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Chicken Pot Pie has always been a family favourite. I’m French-Canadian, so the food is different from European French, but some methods and dishes remain. What I find frustrating, however, is when I try new recipes and they use terms that completely baffle me (like mirepoix, roux, etc…). I know they’re the correct terms, and you certainly explain them well in your Vocabulaire section (thanks). What I’ve discovered is that I always knew what these things meant, but didn’t have the terminology, or at least, perhaps, not the correct terminology, being an average homemaker and not a professional chef. We just always called the mirepoix la base, as in: tu prépares ta base en premier, et ensuite… Depending on the dish, you always knew what la base meant.
Thanks for all the clarifications.
[…] 6, 2008 at 7:51 am (Food) Tags: Food After reading Croque-Camille’s post about Chicken Pot Pie, the light went on. Literally. There’s nothing more frustrating than reading a new recipe and […]
It’s so hard to find a good chicken pot pie “outside” these days. For some reason, it has gone into hiding, only to emerge in frozen food aisles and some chain restaurants which probably use the frozen version and reheat it in the microwave. Your entry here reminds me about everything that’s good about chicken pot pie.
You’re crust is beautiful. Mmmmmmm…wanna go get all the stuff to make this now!
Always yummy, eh???
Awesome idea with double batch
Yukon – It’s great to hear that I’m actually helping people! Welcome!
JS – Thank you! Sadly, I think the only place to find good pot pies these days is at home. Luckily, it’s easy to make a big batch and save some in the freezer for later! :)
Jody – Thanks, I try to streamline at home, since I don’t always feel like cooking a complex meal when I get home from work. ;)
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