Today’s recipe comes from the Nov. 4 – 6 issue of USA Weekend, a newspaper magazine. I’d been looking for a new vegetarian recipe to serve when the kids come home for Christmas, and this one looked promising. When I served it for supper last week, it did not get the coveted Hiram seal of approval. But that’s not surprising since hardly any meatless recipe does.
Of course, I didn’t have all the ingredients so some substitutions were required. Here’s the original recipe with the substitutions in parenthesis. I didn’t have mushrooms (but think they would add an interesting flavor) and added a little more of the other veggies to compensate. Next time I’ll experiment by using less thyme and adding a little oregano, rosemary, or dried basil.
Quick Vegetarian Pot Pie
1 large, sweet onion, diced
1/2 pound sliced cremini mushrooms
1/2 pound chopped cabbage – about 1/4 small head
1 pound red boiling potatoes or sweet potatoes, diced (I used russets)
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, divided
Salt and ground black pepper
1 cup vegetable broth and 1 cup low-fat evaporated milk, combined
2 tablespoons dry sherry ( I used white cooking wine)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup frozen peas
1 9-inch pie crust from a 14.1-ounce refrigerated box (I used homemade crust)
In a 31 x 19 pan, toss onions, mushrooms, cabbage and potato with 2 tablespoons oil, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, and a light sprinkling of salt and pepper. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and place pan on rack; turn oven to 425 degrees and cook vegetables, stirring occasionally until tender, about 20 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in over medium heat in a large sauce pan or Dutch oven. Whisk in flour and remaining 1/4 teaspoon thyme; cook until golden, about 1 minute. Whisk in milk mixture; simmer until sauce comes to a boil and fully thickens. Turn off heat, stir in sherry and Parmesan. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add cooked vegetables to sauce, along with peas. Pour mixture into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Cover with pie crust and flute as desired.
Bake on lowest oven rack until sauce is bubbly and crust is golden brown, 25 – 30 minutes. Let cool slightly and serve.
