Recipe: Really Good Chicken Pot Pie I wish that I could take credit for this fabulous recipe, but I can't. It's from the Liberty Cafe here in San Francisco. I always went to this restaurant and every time I went, I'd promise myself that I'd order something other than the pot pie, but I always stuck with it. They published the recipe in the Feb/March issue of Fine Cooking magazine and I have made it several times. I usually change recipes to my own preferences, but this is one that is perfect as it is. I hope you enjoy it. This recipe is l-o-n-g but worth it -- I usually make the pastry the day before I plan on making the filling and the pies -- the pastry is a lot of work, but really good and it's one of the elements that makes these so outstanding. Liberty Cafe Chicken Pot Pie A flameproof roasting pan is the key to this recipe. The chicken and vegetables are cooked in the same pan, which you'll also use to make the flavorful sauce. Yields six 12-ounce pies, or one 2-quart pie One 3-lb. Chicken 3 Tbs. olive oil salt and freshly ground pepper 2 cups 1/2-inch potato chunks (1-2 medium peeled potatoes; Yukon Gold preferred) 24 pearl onions, peeled and left whole 2 cups 1/2-inch carrot chunks(2-3 medium carrots, peeled) 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced 8 mushrooms, halved or quartered 2 Tbs. chopped assorted fresh herbs, plus more to taste (I use parsley, rosemary and thyme) 1 cup peas (fresh or frozen and defrosted) For the Sauce: 4 cups chicken stock 6 Tbs. butter 6 tbs. flour salt and freshly ground pepper For the Pastry: 1 recipe Rough Puff Pastry (recipe follows) For the Egg Wash: 1 egg yolk, beaten 1/2 cup cream To roast the chicken and vegetables - Heat the oven to 375F. Rub the chicken with 1 Tbs. of the olive oil and sprinkle generously, inside and out, with salt and pepper. Toss the potatoes, onions, carrots, garlic, and mushrooms with the remaining 2 Tbs. olive oil and the chopped herbs. Set the chicken upside down in a large flameproof roasting pan and scatter the vegetables around the chicken. Roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring the vegetables several times. Remove the chicken from the pan to cool. Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon and reserve them in a bowl, with the peas. Don't rinse out the roasting pan. To make the sauce - Pour the the fat and juices into a measuring cup or gravy separator. Spoon or pour the fat away from the juice; reserve the fat. Add the juices to the chicken stock. Measure out the fat and add enough butter (if needed) to make 6 Tbs. Put the roasting pan (which should still have the caramelized bits from the chicken and vegetables) on the stove over medium heat. Pour in the 6 Tbs. of fat and butter mixture; when it's melted adn bubbling, add the flour and stir constantly to make a smooth roux. Scrape up any caramelized remains from the chicken and vegetables. Cook the roux, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock, bring to a boil, and simmer. Continue to stir and scrape the bottom of the pan. Cook the sauce for at least 15 minutes, whisking occasionally, until it's as thick as heavy cream. Season with salt, pepper and more herbs to taste. When the chicken has cooled, pull the meat from the bones, discarding the skin and bones. Cut the meat into small chunks and set aside. To assemble the pot pies - Heat the oven to 400F Remove the dough from the refrigerator. lay it on a floured board and roll it out 1/8-inch thick into a 20x16-inch rectangle. Set the dish for the pot pie upside down on the dough a cut around the rim with a knife or pastry cutter. (If you like extra pastry, cut the pastry a little larger than the top of the dish.) Stack the pastry pieces on a plate, separating eash with waxed paper or plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to use. Combine chicken, vegetables and sauce. Divide between pie dishes. Lay the pastry on top, pressing along the edge of the dish to seal. To make the egg wash - Blend the yolk and cream. Brush the mixture onto the pastry with a pastry brush. Put the pies on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake on the center rack for 50 to 55 min., or until the crust is thoroughly browned and puffed. Steam will escape along the edges of the pastry. Rough Puff Pastry Don't use a food processor to chop the butter and flour; it warms the butter and makes the pieces too small. Flour amounts are listed by weight (ounces) and volume (cups). Use either measurement. Yields 1 1/2 lbs. pastry. 3/4 lb. (3 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, but into 1-inch pieces 13 1/2 oz. (3 cups) all-purpose flour, chilled; more for dusting the work surface. 1 tsp. salt 2/3 cup chilled water Put the butter piece on a large work surface and chop them roughly with a knife. Dump the chilled flour and the salt on top of the butter and use a large knife or a pastry blender to cut the butter and flour together. When well combined (the mixture will still be very dry and rough), add the water, a small amount at a time, and mix with a knife or large spatula or a pastry scraper. You'll have a very crude, dry looking mixture, but don't worry, it all comes together. Scrape the dough aside to dust your work surface and then begin rolling out the crumbly dough into a 6x18-inch rectangle. Use a flat, plastic scraper (or the spatula's edge) to fold the two short sides of the rectangle to the center; then fold the bottom end to the top, as if you were closing a wallet. You now have a rectangle that's roughly 4 1/2x6 inches. Turn the dogh 90 degrees clockwise so that the seam is on the right side. Roll it out againto from a 6x18-inch rectangle. You may need to continue lightly dusting the dough and the work surface with flour to keep the rolling pin from sticking to the dough. Repeat the folding process (you'll have the small rectangle again), seal the dough in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for at least 15 minutes. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll it out to a 6x18-inch rectangle. Repeat the fold and roll process twice more. The dough should be smooth. Seal the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.