Mendocino Chicken Pot Pie

January 1, 2010.   1 Comments.   Categories Chef Julia Kendrick Conway, Contributing Chefs, Poultry.  

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 stick chilled unsalted butter, cut in chunks
• ¼ cup chilled duck fat
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 egg

In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour,
butter, duck fat, sugar until crumbly. 
Beat egg in a small bowl and, with processor running, add in a slow
stream until dough comes together. 
Add ice cold water, if needed, to bring dough together, depending on
flour hydration.  Wrap pastry and
chill until firm (crust is very tender due to the low melting point of the duck
fat).

Filling:

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thigh meat
  (free range is most flavorful)
• 2 cups chicken broth (homemade preferred)
• Shiitake mushroom trimmings or stems
• Duck fat
• Olive oil
• ½ pound fresh chanterelles or other mushrooms,
  sliced thick
• 10-12 cipolline onions or pearl onions, peeled
• 10-12 fingerling potatoes, or cut up Yukon gold
  potatoes
• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 3 sticks celery, sliced
• 1 cup fava beans (cooked and peeled), can
  substitute fresh or frozen peas
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ½ cup all purpose flour
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1 cup heavy cream or whole milk
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons brandy or sherry
• ½ cup chopped Italian parsley
• White truffle oil

Place chicken, mushrooms/stems and broth in a large
saucepan over medium heat.  Cover,
bring to a boil, and simmer 5 minutes or until chicken has cooked through.  Let chicken cool in broth, remove.  Strain broth, discarding mushrooms and
chill.

Preheat oven to 400F.  Melt 2-4 tablespoons duck fat and toss with potatoes and
onions.  Roast in oven until
lightly caramelized and softened. 
Heat olive oil in a sauté pan and sauté celery and carrots until tender,
about 5 minutes, season to taste with salt and pepper.  Heat olive oil in clean sauté pan over
medium high heat and sear mushrooms until golden and fragrant.  Deglaze the pan with a dash of brandy
or sherry, adding salt and pepper to taste.

Shred chicken into bite sized pieces and combine in
a bowl with vegetables, tossing gently to combine, set aside.

Make a roux with butter and flour, stirring
constantly and cooking until golden and aromatic (like biscuits).  Whisk in cream and reserved chicken
broth, along with any accumulated juices from the chicken.  Add thyme and remaining brandy or
sherry and simmer until thickened. 
Season to taste with salt and pepper and cool slightly.  Pour sauce over chicken and vegetable
mixture, tossing gently to combine. 
Add fava beans (or peas) and parsley, stirring again gently.  Mixture can be chilled and held up to
two days at this point.

Divide dough into four balls, rolling each one out
to a circle slightly larger than the rim of your ramekins (I use 14oz).  Divide the filling between the four
ramekins (oil each one lightly with olive oil or pan spray).  Drizzle a little truffle oil over the
filling in each ramekin.  Carefully
place a top crust on each pot pie and crimp around the inside edge of the
ramekins.  Chill until crust is
firm again, and then cut the vent. 
Brush crust with egg wash and bake in a 400F oven until crust is golden
and filling bubbles out of the vent hole. 
Serve hot.