Savory Dark Meat Chicken Pie

The recipe that you will find below is another one inspired by my trip to Key West when I heard Molly O'Neill tell a story about a woman who stabbed and killed her husband last Thanksgiving over the last piece of dark meat on the turkey. "Well, I mean it was dark meat. You could understand," she said. "I mean who would ever kill someone over white meat?" After the crowd recovered from the laughter, Molly and Ruth Reichl began an exchange about how dark meat is just full of flavor and how the latest trend in eating here in the United States is about eating the whole animal and not just the pretty parts. I personally think this ties in nicely with the green philosophy that is spreading across our country. For us meat eaters, the least we can do is let the animals live a little before slaughter (think free-range), and appreciate the taste of all that they have to offer. One of my favorite dishes as a child was my mother's fried chicken livers with onions, where she would add a little sherry and flour to the pan to make a rich dark gravy that was poured over my mashed potatoes. I plan to make this soon for my own family, and if successful, the recipe will be posted. But, in the meanwhile, I did decide for myself that I like dark meat better than white, and what the heck it is cheaper. I created a new version of my chicken pot-pie, which is perfect for the winter freeze that we have all been suffering through and guaranteed to cure any cold!



Grab a large saute pan and melt 1/4 cup of butter. Throw in 6 boneless and skinless chicken thighs, 4-5 chopped spring onions, 1 small yellow onion (chopped), 3-4 stalks of chopped celery, 1/2 cup of baby peas (I used frozen), 1/4 cup sweet corn (frozen again), 4 small peeled and chopped potatoes, 3 peeled and chopped carrots, and 1/2 cup of fresh dill. Brown the meat on both sides along with the veggies by turning them over a few times. Pour in 2 cups of free-range chicken stock and add 1/2 of a knox chicken boullion to pan. Cover and simmer for 30-40 min on low flame. Lift the lid and smell the yummy concoction that you have just created. Take a coffee cup and fill a little less than 1/2 way with flour. Add warm (almost hot) water and stir with a fork to make a paste without lumps. Turn up your flame until you have a full boil and pour in your paste while stirring. Just add enough to thicken to your own liking. Add some cracked pepper and sea-salt to taste. Pour into a 9 x 9 deep-dish glass pan. Top with one package of pillsbury crescent rolls. Just unroll them, place on top and press down on the edges of glass to seal your pie. Bake at 425 for 15 min. Remove and enjoy!