Rustic White Bean Thyme Pot Pies Recipes

RUSTIC WHITE BEAN & THYME POT PIES

Steps:

• To a medium saucepan, add the olive oil or vegan butter. Warm over low heat. Add the onion and carrots and saute just until the onions are beginning to become translucent, 5-6 minutes.
• Add flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir constantly for three minutes, adding the garlic during the last minute.
• Slowly pour in the vegetable broth, stirring constantly. Add the beans, potatoes and thyme sprigs. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are just about fork tender, about 5 minutes. Remove thyme stems. Taste and add salt and pepper if desired, to taste.
• If adding chicken or turkey to any of the pot pies, add 1/4 cup to each ramekin.
• Divide bean filling between the four or five ramekins, carefully stirring those that have meat with a small spoon to evenly distribute.
• Cut circles of crust about 1" larger than the circumference of the ramekins. To keep track of the meat pot pies vs. the veggie pot pies, I like to use letter cookie cutters - "VEG" for veggie and, in the case of the batch I made for the blog, "CHX" for chicken. A simple V or C will work or any old shape to help you tell them apart will do! Just be sure you at least slit the top to allow for steam to escape.
• Bake 375 degrees for about 35 minutes, until the pie crust is golden brown and the filling is nice and bubbly.
• Let cool about 10 minutes before serving.

WHITE BEAN THYME POT PIES

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 400 F and arrange four 6-inch ramekins on a baking sheet.
• In a large pot, over medium heat, saute the diced onion in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, plus a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook 2 to 3 minutes.
• Once the onions are translucent, add the carrots and potato and a pinch more of salt and pepper.
• Add 1/4 cup of flour to the pot and stir to coat the vegetables. Add 1/2 cup of veggie broth (or dry white wine) and thoroughly combine all the ingredients, letting the flour and broth thicken a little bit. Then add the remainder of the broth.
• Add the thyme and beans and bring to a boil, reducing immediately to simmer while stirring for a few minutes. Once the filling thickens some, set the pan of filling aside, off of the heat.
• Add flour and salt to a medium mixing bowl. Mix well.
• Add the cold vegan butter to the bowl and use a pastry cutter or fork to cut the butter into the flour, until all the butter pieces are pea size or smaller and the mixture is somewhat grainy.
• Add the ice cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, gently mixing after each water addition, until a dough forms. You may not need to use all 7 tablespoons of the water. Once you form a dough, stop adding water.
• Use your hands to form a ball of dough in the bowl, getting all scraps from the side and bottom of the bowl. Place your dough on a floured surface and lightly flour a rolling pin and the top of the dough. Roll the dough out to between 1/4-inch and 1/8-inch. Add any flour as needed for rolling.
• Cut into four squares (or your number of smaller ramekins), slightly larger than the tops of your ramekins.
• Ladle the bean filling into the ramekins until they are almost full. Use a floured spatula to place the crusts on the ramekin tops.
• Use a sharp knife to cut a few vents into the center of each crust.
• Bake 30 to 45 minutes, removing the pies from the oven when the crusts have reached desired brownness. Cool 10 minutes before serving.
• The pot pies can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, bake at 350 F until bubbly.

CREAMY WHITE BEAN AND LEEK POT PIE

Steps:

• For the stew: Melt butter in a large skillet over medium. Add the leeks to the pot and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the leeks start to soften and turn golden brown. Stir in the garlic, sage and thyme and cook for 1 minute.
• Stir in the beans then sprinkle over the flour and mix well to combine. Slowly pour in the broth, turn the heat up to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, or until thickened and the leeks are very tender. Add the frozen peas, sour cream and lemon juice to taste. Set aside to cool slightly.
• While the stew cools, make the buttermilk biscuits: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and garlic powder in a large bowl. Add in the butter and cut or snap it into the flour until the pieces of butter are about the size of a pea. Stir in the grated cheese and make a well in the center. Pour in the buttermilk and gently mix until a shaggy dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and bring the dough together. Press it out into a 2-centimeter (1-inch) thick rectangle, then fold it over onto itself. Press and fold the dough two more times, then flatten again to 2 centimeters (1 inch) thick. Trim any wonky edges and cut the dough into 8 rough squares.
• If serving immediately, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F/200 degrees C. Transfer all or a portion of the stew to a casserole dish and top with all or a portion of the biscuits. Brush the biscuits with the melted butter and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Allow the pot pie to cool slightly before serving.