Sunday, November 21, 2010

Mushroom & Lentil Pot Pies with Gouda Biscuit Topping


I know its a long title, but I couldn't leave anything out and still convey the spirit of the dish.  During the cold months of the year, I'm a sucker for any sort of pot pie.  Though I typically prefer a pie crust topping, I couldn't resist making this one - I mean, there's gouda in the topping!  And not only that, but the filling is hearty, filling, healthy, and delcious.  Mushrooms, lentils, potatoes, carrots and onions make up the bulk of it, and its flavored with plenty of garlic, thyme, soy sauce, and sage.  I actually was a little hesitant about the soy sauce - I thought it seemed a little out of place given the rest of the flavor profile, plus it calls for 4 teaspoons - that's 1 teaspoon per serving!  So I decreased it quite a bit, but when I tasted the filling before baking, it definitely needed the extra seasoning.

The pies are homey and comforting, but packed with great nutrients, while still being relatively low in fat.  I think these would be a great vegetarian option for Thanksgiving.  Your vegetarian guests will feel special that they get their own personal pot pie - and the omnivores will be jealous when they're stuck with boring ole' turkey!


One Year Ago:  Chicken Tortilla Soup


Mushroom and Lentil Pot Pies with Gouda Biscuit Topping
adapted from Bon Appetit, November 2010
serves 4


Filling
  • 1/2 cup french green lentils
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
  • 2 Tbs olive oil, divided
  • 6 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 carrot, cut into 1/4-inch thick rounds
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground sage
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme
  • 2 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 Tbs all-purpose flour
  • 2 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
  • 4 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 Tbs tomato paste
Topping
  • 1 cup plus 2 Tbs all-purpose flour
  • 6 Tbs yellow cornmeal
  • 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 4 Tbs chilled unsalted butter, diced
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 3/4 cup shredded Gouda Cheese
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Combine 3 cups cold water, lentils, and 1/4 tsp salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until lentils are tender, 25-30 minutes.  Drain and set aside.

Pour 3 cups of boiling water over the dried mushrooms in a medium bowl.  Soak 25 minutes.  Remove the mushrooms from the soaking liquid, and squeeze dry. Chop coarsely and reserve soaking liquid.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the fresh mushrooms and saute 3-4 minutes.  Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, the onion, carrot, sage, and thyme.  Cook 4minutes, then add the garlic.  Saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Reduce heat to medium-low and mix the flour into the vegetables.  Cook 1 minute, then add the porcini soaking liquid.  Mix in the chopped porcinis, potatoes, soy sauce, and tomato paste.  Cover; simmer until the potatoes are tender, 13 to 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.  Add the lentils and season the filling with salt and pepper.  Divide among 4 ovenproof bowls and transfer to a baking sheet.

To make the topping, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a food processor.  Blend 5 seconds.  Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal.  Add the buttermilk and pulse until the dough forms moist clumps.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly to form a cohesive ball.  Divide into 4 portions and shape each one into a 2/3-inch thick disk.  Set rounds atop filling, sprinkle with cheese, and sprinkle with coarse salt.

Bake until a tester inserted into the biscuit comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes.


6 comments:

Bridget said...

Yum! I love meals based on meat-heavy dishes that can be even more delicious when they're vegetarian. A few of my favorite types of those dishes call for soy sauce - it has that rich umami flavor that usually comes from meat.

Kimberly Peterson said...

Looks absolutely mouthwatering! Very comforting!!

Ravenous Rowie said...

Sounds tasty! I love your presentation too! Great picture!

cookiecrumb said...

I'm dying to have this. I just emailed myself your recipe.
xoxo!

Claudia said...

I love versions of pot pie, and this looks outstanding. I just saved it to my recipes.

angeline said...

I just made this tonight, and it's perfect for the rainy weather we've been having lately. I added some zucchini and doubled the carrots, and it turned out great! What a wonderful recipe. Thank you. :)

Post a Comment

 
BLOG DESIGN BY: SHERBET BLOSSOM DESIGNS