Plant Based Chicken Pot Pie
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves 4-6
- 2 x 400g/14oz. tins of jackfruit in brine
- Oil for frying
- 1 large onion, peeled and diced
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1 stick celery, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and diced
- 400g/14oz. tin corn kernels
- 1 cup peas
- 3 cups milk (or almond or soy milk), divided
- 1/2 cup cream (vegan cream)
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese (or nutritional yeast)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 sprig thyme
- 2-3 teaspoons vegetarian or chicken stock powder
- 75g/2.6ozs. butter
- 3-4 tablespoons flour
- 2 sheets puff pastry
- 1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tablespoon water
Step 1 - Firstly drain and rinse the jackfruit. Cut off the pointy tip of the jackfruit pieces that are more solid. Mash up the rest using your hands so that it looks like fibres.
Step 2 - Heat oil in a large pot and fry the onion, carrot and celery for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic cloves and cook for a minute. Add the jackfruit, corn, peas and 2 cups of milk, cream, cheese, bay leaves, thyme and stock powder and simmer for 10 minutes or so.
Step 3 - In a small saucepan, melt the butter and then add the flour and stir creating a roux. Add the remaining cup of milk and stir and then add this into the jackfruit mixture. Simmer until thickened and season with salt and black pepper. Place in a baking dish and cool.
Step 4 - Thaw the puff pastry and cut off what you need to cover the pie (measure against the baking dish). Place it in the fridge while you cut out the leaves with the remaining pastry. Place the leaves in the fridge until you need them.
Step 5 - Preheat oven to 220C/440F and place the pastry on top of the pie. I use the tines of a fork to press down the sides. Brush with egg wash. Then add the leaves and brush with egg wash again. Bake for 30 minutes.
Personal Note
"I don't want to wear pyjamas," said Mr NQN.
"You're wearing them," I responded because really who wouldn't want to schlep around the house in their jammies? He pulled on a pair of Qantas pyjamas and I wore my United PJs (how good are airline pyjamas?). Then Nina and Garth arrived. She was in her comfiest pyjamas and wearing a sleep mask. Garth was wearing what we called the "old rich gentleman's robe" over his pyjamas-the kind that you wear in front of a fireplace while smoking a pipe.
It was the most relaxed dinner party we've ever had. Nobody got cold or uncomfortable and we ate our food not at the dining table but around the television on the couch. See, Winter isn't so bad, especially when you have comfort food to match!
So tell me Dear Reader, would you enjoy a pyjama party? Would you make the chicken or jackfruit version?