Pantry: Winter

The Winter Pantry does a lot of heavy lifting. Most everything that was harvested over the previous year has been used up, and even the shelves for canned goods are probably starting to look a little bare. Dried foods like beans and lentils, and stored grains are going to be a key to the Winter Table. We also want to check on the levels of oils and nuts, as well as see how the stored fruits and vegetables are faring--it might be that the basket of apples needs to be processed before it turns, or that the long-storing winter Kennebecs need a bit more air.

Now is also the time to check on any of the foods that you put up or put by. Check to see if the seals are still in place, and make a note of how much and how many jars you have. If you were super industrious and put up green beans, corn, tomatoes, pumpkin, sauces, soups, and the like, this shelf can get you through the coming quarter-year; your table will have a splash of summer's light even in the short dark days.

But even if you have nothing canned and put by, you can still stock your pantry now with some amazing staples that will keep you hale and hearty until the crocuses bloom. Winter is a good time to check the levels of your bulk items and replenish as needed. Buy the amount that makes sense for you family, or split a builk order with others to help boost your purchasing dollar. Check around and see if there is a local cooperative or group that helps buy in bulk, or focuses on locally sourced staples.

Root vegetables, such as onions, potatoes, and carrots, can often be bought by the bushel (or half-bushel) from local farmers. See if there are any varieties that they purposefully grew for long storage. Even if you don't have super storage varieties, now is a great time to turn apples into apple butter and set up some scraps for apple cider vinegar, or to make a huge batch of apple pie filling and can it. Anything that you can put by now will be a delight in February and March.

Winter Pantry

• Olive oil
• Butter
• Nuts
• Grains
• Long Grain Brown Rice
• Quinoa
• Barley
• Oats
• Flour (or wheat berries, if you have a mill)
• Sugar (unprocessed sugar stores better than refined sugar, as well as being better for you)
• Carrots
• Onions
• Potatoes
• Apples
• Beans: 
• Black beans
• Navy Beans
• Pinto Beans
• Lentils
• Black Lentils
• French Lentils
• Red Lentils
• Split Peas: Yellow or Green, or both (I like both, as they are very different when they cook up)
• Coffee
• Tea

Chicken Pot Pie

Pot Pies are glorious and satisfying at any time of the year.

Whip up a batch when the harvest is fresh and the days are breezy and long, and enjoy with a glass of fresh milk or lemonade for a perfect summer dinner with family and friends.

But pot pies really shine in being able to make the most of meats and vegetables that have been in storage, less tender cuts of meat, and anything that might have been overlong in the freezer. 

Making a pot pie is really more of a process than a recipe, lending itself nicely to  using anything in the winter storage pantry. I've assembled a list below of various vegtables that take pot pies from good to excellent. The key is to work with what you have and to blend the flavors. If you've harvested the meat yourself, this is an excellent dish for the older, less-tender birds. 

Pot pie can make the most of carrots and potatoes, if that's all you have on hand, though I wouldn't want to try to make one without celery, and onion is the key to the broth flavor. Feel free to add turmeric if you'd like to help boost the cold-busting properties.

This recipe doubles and even quadruples well without adding much time to the overall process; make up a whole mess of pies at one time and freeze a few. They go from the freezer to the oven for heating up. 

Ingredients

Filling:

1 pound of chicken, shredded or cubed 

1 cup chopped carrots 

1 cups other vegetables, such as frozen peas.

½ cup sliced celery

⅓ cup butter

⅓ cup chopped onion

⅓ cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

¼ teaspoon tarragon (or thyme, celery seed, or rosemary, as desired and as available)

1 ¾ cups chicken broth

⅔ cup milk 

 

Note: Cube the meat before cooking. This helps tenderize it and gives it a quick cooking time. If you're using leftover meat from a previous cooked bird, shredding the meat is fine.  

Crust:

2 crusts suitable for deep dish 9" pie plate. Make the crust from scratch  or use premade.

Equipment

• Braiser. I like to use a braiser for the filling, but you can use a heavy saucepan or whatever you have on hand that makes sense and has enough room to handle the amount you are cooking.
• 9-inch Pie plate: This is excellent for deep-dish pies, but shallow works just as well.

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425F.
2. Place a crust into a 9" pie plate. 
3. Make the filling: Combine chicken, vegetables, and celery in a braiser; add just enough water to cover and bring to a boil. Cook for 15 minutes, then remove from the heat and drain. Place mix into the bottom pie shell.
4. Melt butter in the braiser over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. 
5. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and spices.
6. Slowly stir in broth and milk.
7. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thick, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and pour over the vegetables in the pie shell.
8. Cover the pie with the second crust, sealing the edges, and cut away any excess dough. Make several small slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape.
9. Bake in the preheated oven until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

| 30 minutes prep time | 45 minutes baking and cooling |

Great Vegetables for Pot Pie

• More celery
• More onion
• Mushrooms
• Zuchini
• Summer Squash
• Eggplant
• Corn
• Green Beans
• Peas
• Snap Peas
• Snow Peas
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Potatoes

Solid additions to pot pies

These vegetables have a great body, but can change the overall flavor profile of the dish. Use them as you will.

• Bell Peppers
• Tomatoes
• Lima Beans

Lentils & Potatoes

Lentils are a staple ingredient around the world. They store well and pack an amazing amount of nutrition. A pound costs less than $3 US; each cup of dried lentils is less than a dollar.

When combined with the humble potato, they provide a complete protein, meaning the dish contains the full spectrum of amino acids needed to build protein in the body. Lentils and potatoes combine to make an excellent nutrition boost especially for athletes, and teenagers, and bodybuilders. 

Packed with protein, they are also a fiber powerhouse. Each cup of cooked lentils has 16g of fiber, low calories, and zero cholesterol. If you’re trying to lose weight or improve your health metrics, lentils can be a superpower in your pantry.

You could live on lentils and potatoes, and the dish is simple enough that it provides a gorgeous base for any seasonal vegetables or meats that you might have on hand. Eaten just as they are, though, they are hearty and delicious, and a testament to simplicity.

The dish cooks up in one pot, and it scales from one serving to enough to feed an army. It’s done in 30 minutes, which is just about as fast as any food gets. Add anything with Vitamin C to help improve the absorption of the iron. My favorite is a squeeze of lemon over the unadorned dish, or you can add some tomatoes and collards to the recipe below.

I particularly like a dish of lentils and potatoes during December, when the daylight is short and the there’s an air of expectation along with the chill. Everyone is busy with holiday concerts and gatherings, and on those nights when you can catch an evening to yourself, it’s nice to make a batch of this and enjoy being this cozy, possibly with a book.

Make a larger batch than you’ll need, as the dish stores well and reheats nicely on the stove or in the microwave, and also can be used as the base of a casserole the next day. Make a half-batch for one serving.

Ingredients

1 c. French or green lentils, rinsed

2 potatoes, any variety, washed and cut into bite sized pieces with the skin on

3-4 cups water or broth (or water with bullion)

Herbs as desired. I like a bit of oregano and black pepper.

Lemon wedge, optional

Directions

Combine everything into a 2-3 quart saucepan and bring to a boil. 

Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 30 minutes.

Ladle into a bowl, or use a slotted spoon to drain off the broth.

Spritz the lemon wedge over the dish, if desired.