Question: What to cook when it feels like spring but the droopy greens at the grocery leave no doubt that it’s still winter?
Answer: This delicious, nutritious, and cost-effective vegetarian pot pie, from the March issue of Bon Appetit.
Root Vegetable and Mushroom Pie With Rosemary Biscuit Topping
Ingredients
FILLING:
6 cups water
2 tablespoons vegetarian bouillon base
2 very large carrots, peeled, quartered lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large celery root (celeriac), peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 large parsnips, peeled, quartered lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large rutabaga, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 turnip, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms, broken into 1/2-inch pieces, rinsed
3 tablespoons butter
3 cups chopped onions
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons imported dry sherry
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
BISCUITS:
2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons ( 3/4stick) chilled unsalted butter, diced
1 1/3 cups (or more) chilled buttermilk
Directions
For filling: Bring 6 cups water and bouillon base to boil in large pot over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve bouillon. Add carrots and next 5 ingredients. Simmer until vegetables are tender, about 7 minutes. Drain; reserve vegetables and broth.
Melt butter in same pot over medium heat. Add onions; saute until beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Mix in garlic and rosemary; stir 2 minutes. Add flour; stir 1 minute. Gradually whisk in reserved broth, then cream and sherry. Cook until sauce is thick and reduced to 4 cups, whisking often, about 8 minutes. Mix in reserved vegetables and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer filling to buttered 13x9x2-inch baking dish. (Can be made 2 days ahead.) Cover with foil; chill.
Preheat oven to 400. Bake filling, covered, until bubbling, about 50 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare biscuits.
For biscuits: Stir first 4 ingredients in large bowl to blend. Add butter. Using fingertips, rub in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Gradually add 1 1/3 cups buttermilk, tossing with fork until dough is evenly moistened and adding more buttermilk by tablespoonfuls if dry.
Drop biscuit dough atop hot filling by heaping tablespoonfuls; sprinkle with pepper. Bake uncovered until tester inserted into center of biscuits comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
Cool 15 minutes.
