Makes 6 main-course servings
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
- 1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps thinly sliced
- Salt
- Pepper
- 3 thin carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
- Leaves from 1 bunch tarragon
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Two 1-pound packages all-butter puff pastry, thawed overnight in the refrigerator if frozen
- 1 egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon salt
Divide the chicken evenly among six 1-cup ramekins. Sprinkle the mushrooms evenly over the chicken, dividing them evenly. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the carrots over the top and finally the tarragon. Press down on the filling in each ramekin so none of the ingredients rise above the rim. (If the ingredients touch the pastry, the pastry will tear.) Pour 1/3 cup of the broth and 21/2 tablespoons of the cream evenly over each filled ramekin. Season again with salt and pepper.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry about 1/8 inch thick. Cut out 6 rounds about 2 inches larger in diameter than the rim of the ramekins. Using a sharp paring knife, and working from the center to the edge, make a series of arcs, like spokes, on the surface of each round, being careful not to cut through the dough. Flip each round, brush with the beaten egg, then invert a round over each ramekin (the scored side will be facing up). Press the dough firmly against the sides with your palms until it adheres securely. Brush the pastry with the beaten egg. Place the pies on a sheet pan.
Slide the pan into the oven and bake the pies for about 35 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and has puffed. Serve at once.
Reprinted with permission from Meat: A Kitchen Education by James Peterson
Follow Women’s Post on Twitter at @WomensPost.
