Napa Farmhouse 1885™: roasted root vegetable pot pie with extra virgin olive oil biscuits

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

roasted root vegetable pot pie with extra virgin olive oil biscuits

happy new year everyone! i am excited to tell you about a new weekly "fest" from food network. longtime readers know we do a summer and fall series each year focusing on different fresh, in-season fruit and vegetables each week. for the first time ever we are going to continue the event during winter. the difference is "winterfest" will emphasize comfort foods. the schedule for "comfort food feast" is as follows:

January:
2- Pot Pie
9 – Potatoes (mashed potatoes, French fries, etc.)
16 – Chocolate Chip Cookies
23 – Pizza
30 – Chili of any kind (for Super Bowl)

February:

6 – Chicken (fried chicken, chicken and dumplings, etc.)
13 –Stew (of any kind)
20 - Meatloaf
27 – Biscuits

March:

6 – Grilled Cheese
13 – Comforting Pasta (Mac and Cheese, Carbonara, Baked Spaghetti, etc.)

this is going to be fun! my two new year's goals (i like that word better than resolutions) are to #1. continue experimenting with recipes that taste delicious and use clean, healthy, good-for-you ingredients and #2. cook like a locavore. the second goal has never been more challenging for me. using local, in-season food in the middle of winter in california is one thing....in a small, mountain/desert town like taos it is completely different. we get snow here! :)

we start comfort food feast with pot pies. if you have been following me for a while you know i like to make dishes that are extremely versatile...that can be made often but, by changing the ingredients, taste new. a perfect example is biscuit topped pot pies. i made this bean & green chile pot pie with cornmeal biscuits last week for my blog red or green? and loved it so much i tweaked it to create today's version...roasted root vegetable pot pie with extra virgin olive oil biscuits. root vegetables, onions, garlic, red bell peppers, kale tied together with a healthy white sauce spiked with a bit of bourbon and topped with crunchy olive oil biscuits. delicious! you know what? no one asked why we were having pot pie days apart....they never noticed the similarities. both recipes were voted the highest compliment you can give in my house. "this is so good it is bloggable!" :) give it a try and please let me know what you think.

here is a tip for the biscuits used in a pot pie. bake them first and then use to top your filling ingredients. most recipes call for the raw dough to be baked along with the rest of the pot pie. i find the biscuits are never crisp and crunchy on the bottom when using that method. i am not a fan of mushy dough.

my favorite thing about this recipe...other than the taste...it that it is really healthy and good for you. it is chock-full of vegetables, the "white sauce" is made with extra virgin olive oil, white whole wheat flour* and unsweetened coconut milk. your friends and family will swear it is the more traditional white flour, butter and whole milk version...yeah! (and the bit of bourbon makes it over the top good) the biscuits are a riff from one of the most popular recipes ever on this blog...made with olive oil instead of butter and whole wheat or spelt flour. they are drop biscuits so no chilling, rolling or cutting out. this dish is easy, delicious, good-for-you and...if you shop carefully, can be made with mostly local ingredients...even for a california girl currently living in taos, new mexico.

roasted root vegetable pot pie with extra virgin olive oil biscuits
(serves 6 as a main course)

1 kohlrabi, scrubbed and chopped into bite sized pieces
1 rutabaga, scrubbed and chopped into bite sized pieces
2 large carrots, scrubbed and chopped into bite sized pieces
1 large sweet potato, scrubbed and chopped into bite sized pieces
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 white onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp lemon pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup chopped kale, cut chiffonade
white sauce (recipe follows)
extra virgin olive oil biscuits (recipe follows)

preheat oven to 400 degrees. place kohlrabi, rutabagas, carrots and sweet potato on 2 parchment paper lined rimmed baking sheets. drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil per pan. using your hands, roll vegetables in oil until all sides are coated. sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast in oven for 40-60 minutes, or until vegetables are golden brown and caramelized.

meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil. add onion, garlic and bell pepper. saute until vegetables are softened and the onion is translucent. add seasonings and 1 pinch each salt and pepper. add roasted root vegetables, white sauce and kale. cook for 5 minutes.

preheat oven to 375 degrees. butter or oil a 9 inch deep dish pie dish. add vegetable mixture to dish, top with baked biscuits and heat in preheated oven until piping hot ( 15-20 minutes). i pair with a large salad for a delicious, healthy, vegetarian dinner. you could serve as a side dish with roast chicken, pork or a steak.

white sauce
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 tbsp white whole wheat flour* or spelt flour
pinch salt
2 cups unsweetened coconut milk (the kind in cartons, not cans)
1 tbsp bourbon (optional, but really makes the dish)

heat a small sauce pan. add the olive oil and whisk in the flour one tablespoon at a time eliminating all lumps. cook over medium low heat for 3 minutes whisking constantly. add in coconut milk and cook, stirring often for 15-20 minutes or until mixture thickens. sauce should be the consistency of thick cream. stir in bourbon and set aside. (keep warm over very low heat)

extra virgin olive oil drop biscuits

3 cups white whole wheat flour* or spelt flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp alum free baking powder
2 tsp raw honey
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk (plus 2 tbsp) (the kind in cartons, not cans)

preheat oven to 400 degrees. you will need a non-stick baking sheet...or use silpat or parchment paper on a regular sheet. using a large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. add the honey and olive oil and stir using a fork. large lumps will form. gradually add 3/4 cup milk a little bit at a time until all the dry ingredients are incorporated into the dough. the dough will be crumbly but should hold together when squeezed with your hand. if too dry add 1-2 tbsp additional milk.

the biscuits are formed by placing forkfuls of dough onto prepared sheets. place in preheated oven and bake for approximately 40 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown. i use approximately 1/4 cup of dough for each biscuit...but you can make yours as small or large as you like. baking times will vary depending on size.

** i love unbleached white whole wheat flour, whole wheat which has been milled from the lightest wheat kernels...so light they are almost white. contains all the fiber and nutrients of regular whole wheat but lighter in color and taste. note...this is not white flour...the color is light brown when baked. i like the king arthur brand**