Parmentier would definitely be surprised to see that I’ve used a chicken filling as a variation on the classic meaty hachis Parmentier (after he got over the shock of seeing a train that runs underground!). Still, I think he’d be happy that I’m carrying on his mission to this day of getting people to eat their potatoes, although I frequently enjoy making this American-style with biscuits for French guests as well.
I use a rotisserie chicken from the market, which has become popular with time-pressed cooks in other countries, as it is in France. You can also make it from poached boneless chicken breasts: Just heat a pot of salted water until boiling. Drop 4 large chicken breast halves in the water, turn off the heat, and cover. The breasts will be done in about 10 minutes.
Tarragon and chervil add a decidedly French touch to this dish, tarragon being the bolder of the two options.
To peel the onions, drop them in a pot of boiling water and let them simmer for about 5 minutes. Drain them and let cool. Trim the ends off each one, and then slip off the skins.
This recipe was excerpted from ‘My Paris Kitchen’ by David Lebovitz. Buy the full book on Amazon.
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What you’ll need
Potato Ricer
$29 At Amazon
Zanzibar Black Peppercorns
$8 At Burlap and Barrel
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
For the chicken filling
For the potato topping
Preparation
Step 1
To make the filling, heat the stock in a saucepan over medium-high heat with the carrots, celery, and onions. Let simmer until the vegetables are almost tender, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside.
Step 2
Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Whisk a few ladlefuls of the warm stock into the flour mixture, which will appear lumpy at first but will smooth out as you go. Gradually add all the stock, including the vegetables, stirring as you go. Cook for about 10 minutes, until thickened. During the last minute of cooking, add the garlic and white wine. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the chicken, peas, tarragon, parsley, salt, and pepper. Taste and add a bit more salt, if desired. Transfer the mixture to a 2½‑ to 3-qt. (2.5- to 3-L) shallow baking dish set on an aluminum foil–lined baking sheet (to catch any spills).
Step 3
Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
Step 4
To make the potato topping, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the cubed potatoes and cook until fork-tender, about 25 minutes. Drain well. Return the potatoes to the pot and cook over medium heat for 1 minute, stirring constantly, to remove some of the moisture.
Step 5
Pass the potatoes through a food mill or potato ricer (don’t use a mixer or food processor because it will make the potatoes gluey). Mix in the cubed butter and salt, let stand 5 minutes, stirring once or twice while they’re cooling.
Step 6
Stir the egg yolks into the warm potatoes. Add the cream, a generous amount of pepper, and the nutmeg. Either spread the potato mixture over the chicken filling with a spatula, or transfer the mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe the potatoes decoratively over the filling. With a pastry brush, gently dribble the melted butter over the potatoes. Bake the pot pie for 30 minutes, until the potatoes are golden brown and burnished in places.
Recipe notes
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