Spring Vegetable Pot Pie
By America's Test KitchenPublished on June 25, 2009
Time
1¾ hours
Yield
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
Fluffy Buttermilk-Biscuit Topping
1 cup (5 ounces/142 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the work surface1 cup (4 ounces/113 grams) cake flour 2 teaspoons baking powder ¼ teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon sugar ½ teaspoon table salt 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into ¼-inch cubes¾ cup cold buttermilk, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons if neededFilling
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided1½ pounds leeks, white and light-green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced ¼ inch thick, and washed thoroughly1 carrot, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces¾ teaspoon table salt 1 pound red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into ½-inch pieces3 garlic cloves, minced 1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut on the bias into 2-inch lengths1 cup frozen peas 7 tablespoons all-purpose flour 4 cups vegetable broth, plus extra as needed2 ounces (57 grams) Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup)½ teaspoon grated lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon juice4 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragonBefore You Begin
While we prefer vegetable broth in this recipe, chicken broth may be substituted. Use small red potatoes measuring 1 to 2 inches in diameter. To cut multiple asparagus stalks on the bias at the same time, line up several in a row parallel to you and cut at a 45-degree angle.
Instructions
- Pulse flours, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt in food processor until combined, about 5 pulses. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal with few slightly larger lumps, about ten 1-second pulses.
- Transfer mixture to medium bowl, add buttermilk, and stir with fork until dough gathers into moist clumps. Transfer dough to floured work surface and form into rough ball. Using rolling pin, gently roll dough out to ½ inch thick. Using a 2½- to 3-inch biscuit cutter, stamp out 8 to 12 rounds of dough. Transfer biscuits to parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add leeks, carrot, and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks have softened but are still bright green, about 7 minutes. Add potatoes, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes begin to soften around edges, about 10 minutes (if potatoes stick, add vegetable broth, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed). Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer to 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle asparagus and peas evenly over top and set aside.
- Melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in vegetable broth, bring to a simmer, and cook until sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and whisk in Parmesan. Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, and tarragon and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour sauce over filling and stir until well combined. Arrange biscuits on top and bake until biscuits are golden brown and filling is bubbly, about 30 minutes. Cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
for the fluffy buttermilk-biscuit topping
for the filling
Time
1¾ hoursYield
Serves 6 to 8Ingredients
Fluffy Buttermilk-Biscuit Topping
1 cup (5 ounces/142 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the work surface
1 cup (4 ounces/113 grams) cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon table salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into ¼-inch cubes
¾ cup cold buttermilk, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons if needed
Filling
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1½ pounds leeks, white and light-green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced ¼ inch thick, and washed thoroughly
1 carrot, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
¾ teaspoon table salt
1 pound red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into ½-inch pieces
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut on the bias into 2-inch lengths
1 cup frozen peas
7 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups vegetable broth, plus extra as needed
2 ounces (57 grams) Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup)
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon juice
4 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Fluffy Buttermilk-Biscuit Topping
1 cup (5 ounces/142 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the work surface
1 cup (4 ounces/113 grams) cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon table salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into ¼-inch cubes
¾ cup cold buttermilk, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons if needed
Filling
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1½ pounds leeks, white and light-green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced ¼ inch thick, and washed thoroughly
1 carrot, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
¾ teaspoon table salt
1 pound red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into ½-inch pieces
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut on the bias into 2-inch lengths
1 cup frozen peas
7 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups vegetable broth, plus extra as needed
2 ounces (57 grams) Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup)
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon juice
4 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Fluffy Buttermilk-Biscuit Topping
1 cup (5 ounces/142 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the work surface
1 cup (4 ounces/113 grams) cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon table salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into ¼-inch cubes
¾ cup cold buttermilk, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons if needed
Filling
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1½ pounds leeks, white and light-green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced ¼ inch thick, and washed thoroughly
1 carrot, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
¾ teaspoon table salt
1 pound red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into ½-inch pieces
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut on the bias into 2-inch lengths
1 cup frozen peas
7 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups vegetable broth, plus extra as needed
2 ounces (57 grams) Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup)
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon juice
4 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
We put the spotlight on asparagus in our spring vegetable pot pie recipe, having challenged ourselves to figure out how to cook this fussy vegetable directly in the pot pie filling. Surprisingly, the easiest method yielded the best flavor for our spring vegetable pot pie recipe. Simply tossing the raw sliced asparagus over the hot filling just before topping it yielded perfectly cooked, tender pieces.
Before You Begin
While we prefer vegetable broth in this recipe, chicken broth may be substituted. Use small red potatoes measuring 1 to 2 inches in diameter. To cut multiple asparagus stalks on the bias at the same time, line up several in a row parallel to you and cut at a 45-degree angle.
Instructions
- Pulse flours, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt in food processor until combined, about 5 pulses. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal with few slightly larger lumps, about ten 1-second pulses.
- Transfer mixture to medium bowl, add buttermilk, and stir with fork until dough gathers into moist clumps. Transfer dough to floured work surface and form into rough ball. Using rolling pin, gently roll dough out to ½ inch thick. Using a 2½- to 3-inch biscuit cutter, stamp out 8 to 12 rounds of dough. Transfer biscuits to parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add leeks, carrot, and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks have softened but are still bright green, about 7 minutes. Add potatoes, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes begin to soften around edges, about 10 minutes (if potatoes stick, add vegetable broth, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed). Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer to 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle asparagus and peas evenly over top and set aside.
- Melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in vegetable broth, bring to a simmer, and cook until sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and whisk in Parmesan. Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, and tarragon and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour sauce over filling and stir until well combined. Arrange biscuits on top and bake until biscuits are golden brown and filling is bubbly, about 30 minutes. Cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
for the fluffy buttermilk-biscuit topping
for the filling
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