Vegetarian Pot Pies With Mushrooms And Thyme Food

VEGETARIAN MUSHROOM POT PIE

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare a large (approximately 9-inch by 13-inch size) baking dish by greasing it with butter or cooking spray. Set aside.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil and butter.
• Add the onions and garlic and saute until the onions soften and become slightly translucent.
• Add the mushrooms and continue to saute until the mushrooms begin to brown slightly and become nice and soft. The mushrooms will release some liquid, but continue cooking as it evaporates.
• Add the thyme and salt and pepper and stir to combine.
• Once the mushrooms begin to caramelize, add the red wine and stir well, scraping any caramelized bits off the bottom of the pan. Continue to cook as the wine cooks off, until there's almost no liquid left.
• When the liquid is gone, add the flour slowly, stirring so the white of the flour begins to disappear and form a paste over the mushroom mixture.
• Add the stock slowly, stirring well as it cooks to create a thick, creamy sauce.
• Stir in a pinch of nutmeg.
• Scrape the mushroom mixture into the prepared baking dish and top it with one sheet of puff pastry, tucking the edges of the puff pastry under to form a crust around the edges of the pan.
• Using your fingers, shape the edges into a soft, fluted shape (press the pastry with your right index finger in between your left thumb and index finger to create this shape).
• Dock the pastry topping with a fork in several places, or use a knife to make slits in the top. This will help the air escape while it's baking and keep the pastry in place as it bakes.
• Whisk together the egg and water to make an egg wash and brush it all over the top of the uncooked pastry.
• Top with some flaky sea salt.
• Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit or until the pastry is golden brown.
• Serve hot from the oven (let stand for about 5 minutes before serving) with a sprinkling of fresh thyme leaves on top.

MUSHROOM-THYME POT PIES

Steps:

• Dough:
• Whisk flour and salt in a large bowl. Work in butter with your fingers until only pea-size pieces remain. Combine egg, vinegar, and 1/3 cup ice water in a small bowl and drizzle over flour mixture; quickly work in with your fingers until a shaggy dough forms.
• Turn out dough onto a work surface and press together, working just enough to form a smooth ball with no dry spots. Wrap in plastic and chill until very cold, at least 2 hours.
• Mushroom gravy:
• Heat oil and 2 Tbsp. butter in a medium saucepan over medium. Cook onion, stirring occasionally, until very soft, 10-12 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring often, until color darkens and paste completely coats onion, about 1 minute. Add button mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and any liquid has evaporated, 12-15 minutes. Add sherry and cook until almost completely evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add broth and porcini mushrooms. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by half (about 2 1/2 cups), about 1 hour. Strain mushroom broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl, pressing down on solids; discard solids.
• Heat remaining 3 Tbsp. butter in a large saucepan over medium. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking often, until flour begins to smell nutty, about 4 minutes. Whisking vigorously to prevent lumps, add mushroom broth and increase heat to medium-high. Bring to a simmer and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat.
• Assembly:
• Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 425°F. Combine fennel, onions, 1 Tbsp. butter, and 1 cup water in a small saucepan; season with kosher salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high, cover, and reduce heat. Simmer until fennel and onions are crisp-tender, 5-8 minutes. Uncover; cook until liquid evaporates, 15-18 minutes. Let cool.
• Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet over medium. Cook thyme sprigs and mushrooms, tossing occasionally, until mushrooms are browned and tender, 6-8 minutes. Let cool; pluck out thyme.
• Divide fennel mixture and mushrooms among ramekins. Spoon gravy over top. Divide dough in half. Working with one at a time, roll out to 1/4" thick. Cut out 2 rounds about 1/2" wider than the diameter of ramekins. Gather up scraps, reroll, and cut out 2 more rounds (for 8 total).
• Whisk egg, a pinch of kosher salt, and 1 tsp. water in a small bowl. Brush dough with egg wash; place over ramekins, brushed side down. Press firmly around sides to adhere. Brush tops of dough with egg wash; sprinkle with thyme leaves and sea salt. Set pot pies on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until crusts are golden brown and domed, 25-35 minutes.
• Do Ahead
• Dough can be made 3 days ahead. Keep chilled. Gravy can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill. Pot pies (without brushing outside of pastry and topping) can be assembled 1 day ahead. Cover pot pies and extra egg wash separately and chill.

VEGETARIAN POT PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and let sit for 3 minutes, without stirring. Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic and thyme. Let cook 2 more minutes, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are tender. Remove to a plate and set aside.
• Return the skillet to medium heat and add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Once melted, add the carrots, onion, celery and salt and pepper. Let cook 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly tender. Add the flour and stir well to combine. Cook 2 more minutes. Add the vegetable stock and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mixture reaches a low boil and thickens. Pour in ½ cup of heavy cream, white beans, ½ cup of grated parmesan cheese and the reserved mushrooms. Stir well to combine, season with salt and pepper, if desired, and remove from the heat.
• Carefully transfer the skillet to a sheet tray lined with foil. Unfold the puff pastry and carefully place it in the center of the skillet over top of the pot pie filling (draping over the edges of the skillet). Brush the pastry all over with the remaining 1 tablespoon of heavy cream. Sprinkle with extra parmesan cheese, thyme leaves and black pepper.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes until the top crust is golden brown and the mixture is bubbly. Let rest 5 minutes, then scoop into bowls and serve.

VEGETARIAN POT PIES WITH MUSHROOMS AND THYME

Steps:

• Whisk flour and salt in a large bowl to ensure even distribution of salt throughout the flour.
• Work in butter with your fingers until only pea-size pieces remain. *You will want to do this quickly to ensure the butter stays cold. The cold butter creates the flakes in the dough.
• Combine egg, vinegar, and ice water in a small bowl and drizzle over flour mixture. You will want to work quickly. the dough should be shaggy.
• Move the shaggy dough to a work surface. Work just enough to form a ball with no dry spots. Be careful not to overwork the dough and fully incorporate the butter.
• Wrap in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for at least two hours.
• The dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days.
• Heat oil and 2 Tbsp. butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
• Add the onion and cook until they are very soft, about 10-12 minutes.
• Stir in the tomato paste until the onions are completely coated. Cook for an additional minute.
• Add button mushrooms and cook 12 to 15 minutes. During this time only stir the mushrooms 2 - 3 times, allowing them to brown.
• Add sherry and cook for five minutes, until the sherry has almost completely evaporated.
• Add the vegetable broth and porcini mushrooms and cook for one hour, until the liquids have reduced by half.
• Pour the mushrooms into a strainer, separating the mushrooms from the liquid. Press down on the mushrooms to squeeze as much liquid as possible out of them. Then discard the mushrooms and save the liquid broth.
• Heat remaining 3 Tbsp. butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
• Using a whisk, continually whisk in flour to avoid lumps until there is a nutty smell, about 4 minutes.
• USE CAUTION HERE: Slowly add 1/4 mushroom broth. The flour and butter mixture will rapidly increase bubbling. Continue to add in the remaining mushroom broth slowly while whisking vigorously.
• Simmer for one minute and then remove from heat.
• Mushroom gravy can be in a refrigerator in an air-tight container for three days.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine, fennel, pearl onions, 1 tablespoon of butter, 1 cup of water, a dash of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and cover for 5 minutes.
• Uncover and cook for 15 - 18 minutes until the liquid has evaporated. Let cool
• Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet over medium.
• Add thyme and mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are browned and tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Let cool.
• Mix mushroom gravy in with the filling. This will be referred to as the filling below.
• Beat the large egg and add a pinch of salt. Set aside.
• Lightly dust a flat surface.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator.
• Divide the dough and filling according to the number of pie dishes you wish to fill.
• For each pie, roll the dough into two pieces, one to form the bottom and the sides and the other to go on top. The dough should be an 1/4 inch thickness and about 1/2 an inch larger for both pieces.
• Place the dough around the inside of the individual pie dish and leave the 1/2 hanging over the side.
• Fill the inside of the pot pie with the gravy mushroom filling mixture.
• Top the the pie with the second piece of rolled-out dough and then pinch the sides together.
• Cut the three to four vent slats in the top.
• Repeat until all pies are filled.
• Set pot pies on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until crusts are golden brown and domed. About 25 to 35 minutes.
• This recipe should make 2 - 3 double-crusted pies depending on the size of the bakeware.
• Beat the large egg and add a pinch of salt. Set aside.
• Lightly dust a flat surface.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator.
• Roll out to a 1/4 inch thickness.
• Place the filling in an oven-proof skillet.
• Top the skillet with the rolled-out dough. You can cramp the edges for a visual look.
• Cut three to four slats in the top of the dough to vent the heat.
• Bake at 425 for 25 - 35 minutes, until the top is domed and golden brown.