At the start of the pandemic, as you know, I signed up for Misfit Market. Since it’s just the two of us, I opted for their smallest box and biweekly delivery. It’s been a great experience overall, and the perk I’m enjoying most is the option to add additional discounted goodies to my order, like herbs, teas, coffees, fruits, and pantry items. Mostly, I’ve been adding on mushrooms (and Taza Chocolate!), as I absolutely love this earthy, toothy, little toadstool. The fact that mushrooms have become my go-to vegetarian substitution for meat is just a by product, however, because they’re just delicious on burgers, in stir frys, as pizza toppings, or, as in this recipe, the main veg in pot pie, and tasting delicious is what matters most to me. In all honesty, I’ve been cooking way more vegetarian meals of late simply because I keep forgetting to take my local farm raised meats outta’ the freezer, and there’s no running down to the butcher shop last minute to bail my forgetful self out these days. Luckily, having plenty of mushrooms on hand has really helped keep my menu on track.

In the past, I’ve only cooked chicken pot pie at home, because that’s what the wife loves. Unless you count the individual frozen tinned pot pies I ate back in the 80’s and 90’s, the only other one’s I’ve had, besides chicken, is the beef and kidney pies from Stoney’s Pub, which are phenomenal (but, and sorry Harry Potter, the kidney pie was a little outside my comfort zone). So truth alert: this recipe is the first full veggie pot pie I’ve ever eaten or cooked. The plumb chew of the portobellos, umami punch of the black garlic, and meaty flavor of fennel seed paired with the flaky, light puff pastry transforms this humble one-skillet mushroom dinner into a crave worthy meal you’ll quickly add to your regular dinner rotation. As always, adjust this recipe as little or as much as you need to fit whatever ingredients you have on hand and your personal preferences.

Note: Since the wifey’s employer, big pharma, has grounded all travel until July 1st, and actually stated the reality is the corporation’s travel won’t ever be what it was anytime in the near future due to the virus, she has decided to use her new home time to catch up on some painting projects and hone her baking skills. So, she made the puff pastry for this recipe from scratch, and oh my sweet cheezus it was heavenly, flaky, buttery, light, and the most incredibly scrumptious puff pastry I’ve ever eaten! Follow the link for the recipe she used: Easy Homemade Puff Pastry, which she claims is such a simple recipe, that even an inexperienced baker, like me, can make it. ha!

Ingredients

2 cups chopped portobello mushrooms

4 stalks of celery, washed, trimmed, and sliced

3 small red potatoes, washed, diced

1 lg carrot, washed, trimmed, diced

4 cloves black garlic, minced

2 scallions, washed, trimmed, and sliced

1 – 1/2 cups vegetable stock

1 cup milk

1 tbsp fresh thyme

1 tsp toasted fennel seed

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp AP flour

1 tbsp olive oil

salt and black pepper to taste

1 sheet puff pastry

Method

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

If using Baking A Moment‘s puff pastry recipe, follow those steps now.

In a cast iron skillet over med high flame, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add in the fennel seed and paprika and bloom the seasoning for about 1 minute. Add in the potato, salt and pepper, and cook until just beginning to brown, 5 – 8 minutes. Next, stir in the celery, carrot, thyme, garlic, and scallion and saute until the vegetables are just tender, an additional 5 or so minutes. Sprinkle the AP flour over the veg and stir until well combined. Pour in the stock and milk, bring up to a simmer, and then adjust the flame to low. Continue to simmer until the stock and milk are reduced by about half and a gravy is developed. Turn off the flame. Taste and adjust seasoning, as needed. Carefully place the sheet of puff pastry over top of the skillet and add a few slits for venting. Transfer to the oven and bake 30 – 40 minutes, or until the puff pastry is golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow the pot pie to rest at least 10 -15 minutes before slicing and serving.

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