Lobster Pot Pie (Surf and Turf Pot Pie)

Happy New Year! I'm so excited about it being a new year. 2010 is going to be great. I'm going back to school, moving to hopefully my own apartment with no roomies. Yes it's a brand new year. I also had a great holiday season. I hope everyone else did as well. Christmas day, instead of being at work I went to Daniel's family. Which was fun. Got lots of stuff for going back to school! Then Saturday I went down to Lynchburg and had Christmas with the family. Which was amazing as always. My parents got me an amazing bedding set. I now am the proud owner of 8 pillows. My brother and sister in law got me a new cookbook to further my cooking exploration. And it is the best reading I've done in a long time. And my sister got me a swiffer! I love spending time with my family, it just made me sad that it was so short. Now this weeks recipe comes to us courtesy of Emeril Lagasse and The Food Network. I got the idea to make Lobster Pot Pie, however, when I was watching an episode of Gilmore Girls. It just sounded so good.

Basic Savory Crust

~Emeril

3 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups cold lard

4 to 5 TBS ice water

1. Combine the flour and salt in a bowl.

2. Add the lard and work it in with your hands until the mixture resembles course crumbs. Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, working it with your hands. Add only as you need to make a smooth ball of dough.

3. Wrap the ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 min.

Lobster Pot Pie

~Emeril

6 TBS butter

1 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup chopped celery I used 1 full cup

salt

ground white pepper

6 TBS flour

3 cups seafood or chicken stock

1 cup milk

2 cups diced potatoes, blanched

1 cup diced carrots, blanched I did not put these in

1 cup sweet peas

1 cup diced baked ham I substituted steak

1 lb lobster meat, cooked and diced I only used 7 oz

1/2 to 1 cup water

1/2 recipe Savory Crust rolled out to the size of the pan

1. Preheat the oven to 375F. Grease a rectangular baking dish.

2. In a large saute pan. melt the butter. Add the onions and celery and saute for 2 minutes. I used a full cup of celery. I like celery and I figured you can never have to much! Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the flour and cook for 3 to 4 minutes for a blond roux. roux: A mixture of flour and fat cooked together and used as thickening.

3. Stir in the stock and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and continue to cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the sauce begins to thicken. Stir in the milk and continue to cook for 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.4. Stir in the potatoes, carrots, peas, ham, and lobster. I used potatoes, peas, steak, and lobster. Thus turning it into a surf and turf pot pie. Season with salt and pepper. Mix the filing thoroughly. If the filing is too thick, add a little water to thin it out. 5. Pour the filing into the prepared pan. Place the crust on top of the filing. Make sure to have several slits in the crust.
6. Place the dish in the oven and bake for approximately 25 to 30 minutes.

This tasted so good. And was definitely too much for just two people. We'll see how it reheats tomorrow for lunch. Have a wonderful start to your new year everyone!