Pot Pies

From the editors of Hobby Farm Homes magazine, Pot Pies is a comfort-food feast for lovers of simple but delicious "eats." The humble pot pie cannot be beat for soul-warming winter fare, especially one that is crafted in your own kitchen. With its origins in England, the pot pie is not quite as American as apple pie, but it is the true melting pot of cuisines—adaptable, versatile, and often very surprising, as put forth in many recipes in this colorful book. In Pot Pies, editor Amy Hooper expands the traditional definition of a pot pie ("a mixture of meat and vegetables in a deep dish") to go beyond the usual savory blends and explores some nontraditional alternatives. Inside this book, readers will find forty-six original recipes, from the comfort-food classics, like chicken pot pie and (three versions of) shepherd's pie, to international variations, like Thai curried chicken pot pie and French Canadian Tourtière pot pie.

With expert advice from Ashley English, author of A Year of Pies, Hooper's team of cooks and writers begin Pot Pies with some preliminary guidance for readers before they choose their fillings. The opening chapter, "Investing in Stocks," provides three foolproof recipes for rich, fortifying stocks (vegetable, chicken, and beef), followed by a chapter devoted to making the perfect, flaky, buttery crusts, the true secret to a great pot pie.

The basic pot pies are described in the chapters "Poultry Pies" and "Meaty Pies," with recipes that are as innovative as they are easy to do. Six poultry recipes (including the perfect Thanksgiving pot pie and a delicious duck pot pie) and six beef recipes (including beef bourguignon pot pie, Reuben pot pie, and Italian sausage and potato pie) make for satisfying, inspiring reading and baking. For lucky seafood lovers, there are delicious recipes for lobster pot pie and salmon pot pie to be found in the "Seafood Pies" chapter.

For brunch and breakfast fans, the book offers four terrific recipes, including sausage hash pot pie and smoked salmon, spinach, and potato pot pie, ideal for starting the day out right. For pot pie lovers on the run, there are two slow-cooker recipes, and for dessert lovers, there are four fun recipes that will keep you at the table for one last course (cranberry and white chocolate empanadas, anyone?).

Pot Pies also offers ten special recipes for gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan diets, such as chicken with rosemary and citrus for gluten-free dieters, BrocCauli-Cheddar pot pie for vegetarians, and savory tofu and potatoes for vegans. For pot pie lovers who wish to enjoy their favorite meal as the British do (aka pub food!), there's a fun chapter called "Hops and Harmony" devoted to pairing the perfect craft beers and ales with the pot pies of their liking. And finally, "For a Rainy Day" offers readers instructions for storing, freezing and reheating pot pies so that not a crumb of their perfect crust ever goes to waste!