One of the most welcome of all supper dishes on a crisp winter’s evening is old-fashioned chicken pot pie. For warming comfort, it may have its equals, but could there be a more heart-warming, soul-warming supper?
Like so many homey dishes of its kind, there are probably as many versions as there are cooks, ranging from the elegantly simple triple play of chicken, gravy and pastry to those loaded with vegetables, herbs and spices. Some are even embellished with hard-cooked eggs and ham, though I prefer to leave my hard-cooked eggs in a salad or deliciously deviled.
Some are made only with a whole chicken that was cooked specifically for the pie, while others are only made when there are leftovers that need using up.
Some contain no other vegetables than onions, while others include a combination of carrots, celery, potatoes and sweet peas. For some cooks, garlic would be frowned upon as out of place; for others, it wouldn’t be a pot pie without it.
OK, enough talk about the different fillings. You get the picture. Pot pies are as versatile as you make them.