Don McLean – American Pot Pie

CLASSIC ROCK BANDS RECIPE #15

DON McLEAN

AMERICAN POT PIE

 

This is the last idea of what to do if you still have any turkey meat leftover from last week that you still can’t figure out how to use.  It works equally well with just roasted turkey breast and you don’t have to use leftovers.  I like the taste of white meat with this recipe better, but you can use dark meat too if you like.  It’s a great cold weather, holiday time meal any time of the year and fits our series perfectly this week.

In my ongoing attempt to blend food ideas together I had the idea that instead of serving a turkey dinner followed by apple pie why not combine them together?  I have been making a lot of pot pies of late and the thought occurred to me.  I love the taste of turkey and apple together and do it quite often especially in pasta dishes.  I find Granny Smith apples to be too tart for my taste and prefer a red apple with a bit of sweetness and tartness combined that’s why I use Fuji apples more often.  You should use the type of apple you like best for this is a savory dish, so you would more likely want to cut down on too much sweetness.  Remember that apples will oxidize very quickly so do not cut them until just before you are ready to use them.   I am not a baker, so I don’t make my own pie crusts and use store bought pastry like most recipes you will find for pot pies.  If you want to make your own crust, please go ahead and do so.  It’s a great combination of two American traditions and I can’t think of a better representative than the man who wrote one of the greatest American songs of all time, Don McLean’s American Pie.

 

 

THE RECIPE

 

INGREDIENTS:

2 TBSP Unsalted Butter

2 TBSP Olive Oil

1 medium Yellow Onion, peeled and chopped

2 Celery stalks, sliced ½ inch pieces

1 large Carrot, peeled, cut in half lengthwise and sliced in ½ inch pieces

2 medium Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ cubes

Salt, to taste

Fresh ground Black Pepper, to taste

½ cup all-purpose Flour

3 cups Turkey or Chicken Broth or Stock

½ cup Light Cream

4 cups cooked Turkey breast, cut into 1-inch cubes

2 large Fuji Apples, peeled, cored, and cut into ½ inch chunks (see note above)

½ TSP dry rubbed Sage

¼ TSP ground Cinnamon

1/8 TSP ground Mace

1 commercial brand Pie Pastry package (to cover two 9” pies)

1 Egg

1 TBSP Whole Milk

 

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F
2. In a large frying pan heat the Butter and Oil over medium heat
3. Sauté the Onions, Celery, Carrots, and Potatoes until soft (about 10 minutes). Season with Salt and Pepper.
4. Add the Flour and stir and cook 2 minutes longer
5. Add the Broth or Stock and to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until broth thickens (about 3 minutes)
6. Add the Cream, Turkey, and Apples and stir. Add the Sage, Cinnamon, Mace, Salt, and Pepper and stir for 1 minute longer.  Remove from the heat.
7. Lightly beat the Egg and the Milk. Blend together.
8. Fill two 9” ungreased pie plates with the contents of the pan
9. Roll out the Pie Pastries and spread over each pie plate. Trim the sides of any excess.
10. Glaze each pie crust with the Egg/Milk wash. Cut a few slits in each pie crust to allow the Pot Pies to breathe.
11. Bake in the oven for about 35 minutes until the crust is a nice golden flaky brown. Let rest for about 10 minutes then cut and serve.

 

WINE PAIRING:  Anything sweet and savory is going to beg for dry Riesling again.  That would be a good choice but not ideal.  Since we are combining most elements of a Thanksgiving Dinner that we already talked about there is no ideal wine match for this dish.  The same suggestions apply from last week.  You will never find a perfect match so find your favorite.  Again, don’t go heavier than Pinot Noir with red and more full bodied with white.  Rose is still a decent option too.