The Daily Grind, Chop and Fry

If your childhood holiday memories include a meat-centered main course on the Big Day, it can be a little intimidating to find your own family-approved holiday traditions. Some people go the Tofurky route; I’ve tried it, a number of times, and I’ve never been wowed. I want people to eat my food and say something genuinely complementary, especially if I’ve put a lot of time into it. Fake Meat is gross. For better or worse, my kid’s memories of holiday meals will be of me trying to find a few things that really work. This pot pie was made to order for his birthday. It was really good, and special. Maybe it will stick. It is worth making for Christmas Dinner, or New Year’s, or Solstice. (A big day up here in the Pacific Northwest.) Bring it on.

This pie is a double-crusted “traditional” pot pie, which was the birthday request. In the 80’s it became fashionable to make pot pies in individual ramekins with puff pastry tops. That is pretty fancy, and impressive, and is also easier since you can buy the pastry pre-made. I made it both ways, and this recipe is tastier – the herbs in the crust elevate it.

Double Recipe Herbed Flaky Pie Crust
1 large onion, chopped
3 tbsp canola oil
2 large carrots, diced
1 small potato, diced
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon marjoram
1 cup green peas
½ cup crispy fried tofu cubes, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1¼ cup milk
1½ cup grated Gruyere cheese
1 tsp Dijon mustard
A few scrapes of fresh nutmeg

Prepare Pie crust, rolling out as instructed. You can allow the dough to chill as you are working on the filling.

Place ½ of the dough in a 10-inch pie pan (deep dish works well for this) and let the excess hang over the sides. Reserve other half for top – keep cool and covered.

Preheat oven to 375

To make the filling:

In a large saucepan, sauté the onions in the oil until soft. Add the carrots, potatoes, paprika, basil, and marjoram. Cook, covered, on medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes. Stir in the peas, and add salt and pepper. Cover and continue to cook until the carrots begin to become tender, about 5 to 10 minutes, and add tofu at the end.

To make the roux:

In medium saucepan melt the butter on low heat. Add the flour and stir constantly for 3 to 5 minutes, until flour is cooked. Whisk in the milk, mustard, and nutmeg. Continue to stir on low heat until the mixture is hot and lightly thickened, but do not let it boil. Remove the roux from the heat and whisk in the grated cheese until well blended.

Drain liquid, if any, from the pan with the vegetables before proceeding.

Spoon the drained vegetables into the waiting pie crust. Pour the roux over the vegetable filling and poke a spoon down into the vegetables in several places to encourage the roux to seep in. Cover with rest of rolled-out dough. Trim and crimp the edges together. Slit the top of the pie in a few spots to allow steam to escape, and if you like, brush with one egg white to make the crust glisten. Place pie on baking sheet and bake for 40 – 45 minutes.

Shopping List

1 large onion, chopped
3 tbsp canola oil
2 medium carrots, diced
1 medium potato
½ cup green peas
½ cup tofu
1/2 lb + 2 Tbsp butter
flour
1¼ cup milk
1½ cup grated Gruyere cheese
Dijon mustard
tamari
fresh nutmeg
paprika
dried basil
dried marjoram
dried sage
dried thyme
dried rosemary