Recipes From the Root Cellar_ 270 Fresh Ways to Enjoy Winter Vegetables - Andrea Chesman [114]
FILLING
3 pounds chicken pieces (dark meat preferred)
8–10 cups water
2 onions, quartered
2 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon dill seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 medium rutabaga or turnip, peeled and diced
1 large celery root, peeled and diced
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 leek, trimmed and sliced
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
TOPPING
21/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
1½ teaspoons salt
2/3 cup (1 stick plus 3 tablespoons) butter, cut into small pieces
1¼ cups cooked mashed sweet potatoes, chilled
¼ cup buttermilk
1 Combine the chicken and water in a large pot. Add the onion, garlic, dill seeds, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the chicken is tender, 1 to 2 hours. Turn off the heat and let the chicken cool in the cooking liquid.
2 Cover the rutabaga and celery root with salted water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil until just tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain.
3 When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove from the broth. Discard the skin and bones. Chop the meat into bite-size pieces.
4 Strain the broth and discard the solids. Skim off any fat that rises to the top. Reserve 3 cups broth for the pot pie and refrigerate or freeze the remainder to use in soups, stews, or pilafs.
5 Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the leek and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and stir until absorbed into the oil. Whisk in the 3 cups reserved broth and the wine and stir until thickened and smooth. Stir in the chicken, rutabagas, celery root, and thyme. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Keep hot while you prepare the biscuits.
6 Preheat the oven to 400°F. Set out a 9- by 13-inch baking pan.
7 Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt in a food processor. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the sweet potatoes and buttermilk and process to make a soft dough.
8 Pour the hot chicken mixture into the baking pan. Spoon the dough on top of the chicken mixture in 12 mounds. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the biscuits are golden and the chicken mixture is bubbling. Let stand for a few minutes before serving.
Variation: Chicken Pot Pie With Biscuit Topping
To make a regular biscuit topping, omit the sweet potato and brown sugar. Increase the flour to 3 cups and the buttermilk to 1 cup. This dough will be stiff enough to roll out to a ½-inch thickness and cut into twelve 3-inch biscuits. Arrange the dough circles on the chicken mixture and bake at 425°F for 20 to 25 minutes.
Chicken Paella
Serves 6
There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of versions of the classic Spanish dish, paella. So why not one featuring winter vegetables? This is a festive dish, perfect for a special occasion, and one that takes very little time to prepare.
¼ teaspoon crushed saffron threads
4 cups chicken broth (page 127)
1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces.
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 leek, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 celery root, peeled and finely chopped
2 cups short-grain white rice
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 ounces Spanish chorizo, diced
1 cup frozen green peas
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Toast the saffron in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.
Combine with the broth and set aside. Remove any fat from the chicken, rinse, and pat dry.
2 Heat the oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and brown on both sides, about 6 minutes. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
3 Add the leek, carrot, and celery root to the skillet, lower the heat to medium, and sauté until softened, about 3