We all have to admit it. Some nights we want real stick-to-your-ribs food, but our pants warn us that we really, really shouldn’t. Here is where Seafood Pot Pie comes in. It’s a traditional dish normally made with heavy cream, real butter, flaky butter pie crust and lots and lots of rich seafood. I remember growing up watching my grandmother knead little pieces of butter into her crust and my fingers itching to do the same. As I have grown, I have realized that I will simply never be a pastry chef (my internal body temperature is just way too high and I melt every little morsel of butter in the dough) but I can make a mean semi-homemade meal. I count that an accomplishment 🙂
This lightened twist on a Irish/Southern classic is sure to become a staple in your home. And, if you can believe it, the leftovers are even more delicious than the first night!
Ingredients:
8oz. to 1 lb. crab/lobster/shrimp (or imitation crab) *I used 8oz. but that’s mostly b/c it’s what I had in the freezer*
2 Tbs. margarine
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup flour
2 cups of chicken stock
1 c. fat-free half & half
½ c. skim milk
1/4 cup sherry
Up to 1 Tbs. cornstarch for thickening, if necessary
1cup frozen peas
½ tsp. thyme
1 tsp. Old Bay
1 pkg. refrigerated pie crust (that’s 2 indiv. crusts), or homemade crust to make 9×12″ pie
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Sauté the carrots, celery, and onions in margarine until they are soft but still slightly firm. Next, add the flour to the sautéed vegetables and cook for about 3 minutes.
Continue by adding the sherry, chicken stock, and cream and stir until smooth. Simmer for about 5 minutes (if using fresh, raw seafood, place in mixture now). Add the seasonings, peas and simmer for 1 minute longer (if using imitation crab, add now instead of earlier). If the mixture needs thickening, add cornstarch now. If using cornstarch, simmer and add’l minute.
Prepare the 9″ x 12″ baking dish by placing one pie dough round in the bottom, making sure to stretch it as high on the sides as you can. Add the mixture into the baking dish and cover with the other pie dough round. Seal the edges and bake for 30 minutes. The crust should be golden brown when done.
**note: I had no problems with the cornstarch clumping, but if you find that you do, you can make a slurry by mixing your cornstarch in a few Tbs. of chicken stock before adding it to the mixture**
The hurdles & hopes of a modern day mess 