Warm pot pies for cool November days

This recipe for Chicken Curry Pot Pie is a great one for this time of year. They are warm, comforting and very tasty. You can use 4 1/2-inch soufflé dishes, or small foil pot-pie dishes will do the job, too.

This is a fun dish because it is self-contained so there is nothing to distract you from what you're eating.

Be careful: These look so tempting when they come out of the oven, you want to eat them right away. It is best to wait about 15 minutes before you enjoy them. They stay hot so long you can take them to a picnic or a friend's house.

As it is November, it is useful to add that Turkey Curry Pot Pies are also a great idea and a great way to use up your Thanksgiving leftovers. Just substitute turkey for the chicken.

Enjoy. Have a nice Thanksgiving. If you need Thanksgiving pies or side dishes, call Molly's at 841-5511.

Chicken Curry Pot Pie

Crust

• 11Ú4 cups flour

• 1Ú2 teaspoon sea salt

• 4 T. butter

• 4 T. vegetable shortening

• 2-3 T. ice water

Cream Gravy

• 4 T. butter

• 1Ú4 cup flour

• 4 cups chicken stock

• 1 whole clove

• 1 small onion, peeled

• 1 bay leaf

Mix together ingredients and let simmer 30 minutes. Remove onion and bay leaf before serving.

Chicken Filling

• 1Ú3 cup olive oil

• 11Ú4 pounds chicken breast meat, diced

• Kosher or sea salt

• Freshly ground white pepper to taste

• 3Ú4 pound crimini or shiitake mushrooms, sliced

• 1 T. toasted curry powder

• 1Ú2 pound carrots, peeled and diced

• 1 cup fresh corn kernels

• 1 cup shelled sweet young peas

• 1Ú2 pound potatoes cooked and diced

• 2 cups chicken stock

• 1Ú3 cup cream gravy (recipe below)

• 21Ú4 cups heavy cream

• 1 T. minced parsley

• 1Ú2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Put the flour and salt in a small mixing bowl and cut in the butter and shortening until the mixture is pea-sized. Add the water and quickly form dough into a log and chill at least 30 minutes.

Remove from refrigerator and cut into six equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a 51Ú2-inch diameter circle. This allows a half-inch overhang for each soufflé dish. Set aside.

Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in a large sauté pan. Sauté the chicken in batches so as to not crowd it until it turns a nice golden brown. Season with salt and pepper and distribute evenly between soufflé dishes.

Add additional olive oil to the sauté pan if necessary and sauté the mushrooms. When they release their juices, add the curry powder and let it "bloom" for one minute. Add the vegetables and stir together to distribute the curry powder. Season with salt and pepper. Divide the vegetables evenly between the six soufflé dishes. In the same pan, combine the stock and cream gravy and reduce by one-third. Add the cream and reduce by half, then add parsley and correct the seasonings. Pour equal amounts into the soufflé dishes and mix with chicken and vegetables.

Top each dish with a circle of pie dough and brush with milk. Cut a few steam vents in the dough. Place the soufflé dishes on a baking sheet, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden-brown.

n Molly Gingell owns Molly's Gourmet Catering, takeout and cooking school at 220 W. John St. in Carson City.