Chicken Pot Pie, Deconstructed

Ingredients for chicken and vegetable filling:
1 leek, well washed and chopped
salt and black pepper
2 cups quartered button mushrooms
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 sprig fresh rosemary
2 medium carrots, cut into coins
2 boneless chicken thighs, diced
1 cup peas, frozen or fresh
2 T cornstarch

* * * * * *

Ingredients for cobbler topping:
1 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 to 3 T unsalted butter, cut into bits
1/2 cup buttermilk [If you don’t have buttermilk, gently warm milk until it’s about 100 degrees; stir in a couple of teaspoons of vinegar and let sit for 5 minutes.]
1 egg

Preparing the chicken filling:
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Put oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot, add the leek, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until liquid has released and evaporated, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Add stock and rosemary; bring to a boil, and let bubble for a minute or two, then add carrots and chicken and reduce heat so the liquid simmers. Cook until carrots are almost tender and chicken is cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Add peas and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are brightly colored and just tender, another minute or so; fish out rosemary stem and discard.

Whisk cornstarch with a few tablespoons of broth to make a slurry. Add slurry to pot and stir until liquid thickens slightly. Transfer everything to an ovenproof dish and set aside.

Preparing the cobbler topping:
Put flour in a food processor with baking powder, soda and salt. Add butter and process until mixture resembles small peas, no more than 30 seconds. [This can also do this by hand, using two knives, a fork, your fingers, or a pastry cutter.] Transfer mixture to a bowl and mix in buttermilk and egg until it just comes together; it should be sticky.

Drop spoonfuls of batter on top of vegetables and chicken and smooth with a knife, covering as much surface area as possible but leaving a few gaps for steam to escape. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until golden on top and bubbly underneath. Scoop into bowls and serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6