Mushroom and Root Vegetable Potpie Pot Pie

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Mushroom and Root Vegetable Potpie Pot Pie

 

1/2 cup dried morel mushrooms -- (1/2

oz.)

2 cups vegetable stock -- or broth

1 pound fresh mixed mushrooms --

such as common, chanterelle,

oyster, pompon, porcini, portabella, and

shiitake (1 to 4 kinds)

1 tablespoon butter -- or margarine

1/2 cup

chopped shallots

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon dried rubbed

sage

1 head fennel -- (about 4 in. wide)

1 1/2 pounds red thin-skinned

potatoes -- (1 to 1 1/2 in. wide),

scrubbed and cut in half

3 turnips --

(2 1/2 to 3 in. wide), rinsed, peeled, and

cut into eighths

1/2 cup dry

white wine

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 cup whipping cream

1 cup

chopped spinach

Salt and pepper

To serve: -- Gruyère pastry

(optional)

 

1. Put morels in a microwave-safe bowl; add broth and heat in

a microwave oven

on full power (100%) until steaming, 6 to 8 minutes. Let

stand untilmorels are

pliable, at least 10 minutes.

 

2. As morels soak,

discard any dirt and debris from fresh mushrooms; trim and

discard bruised

spots and discolored stem ends (including stems from shiitakes).

Quickly

immerse mushrooms in water and swish to wash, then lift out and drain

(avoid

saturating them; they are like sponges). Cut mushrooms wider than 1 inch

into

1/4-inch-thick lengthwise slices; leave smaller ones whole.

 

3. Melt

butter in a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over high heat. Add fresh

mushrooms,

shallots, thyme, and sage; stir often until liquid is evaporated

and

mushrooms are browned, 8 to 10 minutes.

 

4. Meanwhile, with your

hand, squeeze morels in broth to release grit. Lift out

and squeeze dry.

Carefully pour morel soaking broth into a glass measure without

disturbing

sediment; leave sediment behind and discard. Measure soaking liquid;

if

there's less than 1 3/4 cup, add enough water to make this amount. Pour

into

frying pan. Rinse bowl, return morels to it, cover generously with

water, and

squeeze morels in water to release any remaining grit. Lift out

and squeeze dry;

discard water. Add morels to frying pan and heat until

simmering.

 

5. Rinse fennel; trim off and discard stalks (reserving

feathery green leaves),

stem end, and bruised spots. Thinly slice fennel head

crosswise. Chop 1/4 cup

feathery leaves and reserve a few sprigs (discard

remainder); cover separately

and chill.

 

6. In a 4 1/2-quart or larger

electric slow-cooker, combine fennel, potatoes,

and turnips. Pour hot

mushroom mixture over vegetables; add wine. Cover and cook

until vegetables

are very tender when pierced, 5 to 5 1/2 hours on low, 4 to 4

1/2 hours on

high.

 

7. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and cream. Turn cooker to high.

Add

cornstarch mixture, reserved chopped fennel leaves, and spinach;

stir

occasionally until sauce is bubbling, 10 to 12 minutes. Season to taste

with

salt and pepper.

 

8. Spoon mushroom-vegetable stew into deep soup

bowls (about 2-cup capacity).

With a wide spatula, set a hot gruyère pastry

on stew in each bowl. Garnish, if

desired, with reserved sprigs of green

fennel leaves.

 

 

Yield: Makes 6 servings

 

Notes: As soon as you

stir cream mixture into vegetables, put pastries in the

oven to

bake.

 

Nutritional analysis per serving without pastry: CALORIES 225 (23%

from fat);

FAT 5.8g (sat 3.2g); PROTEIN 6.8g; CHOLESTEROL 16mg; SODIUM 178mg;

FIBER 5g;

CARBOHYDRATE 38g

 

ChupaNote: I prefer corn muffins baked in

muffin top tins for this recipe. Puff

pastry works well, as do refrigerator

biscuits in a pinch. When you add the wine

to the slow cooker, add 1/4 to 1/2

teaspoon red pepper flakes for just a little

heat.

 

Source:

" Sunset,

OCTOBER 2000 "

S(Formatted by Chupa Babi):

" Jan 2010 "

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 158 Calories;

7g Fat (41.9% calories from

fat); 3g Protein; 18g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary

Fiber; 20mg Cholesterol; 620mg

Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 1

Vegetable; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1 1/2 Fat.

Source- ChupaBabi