Diva Cooks: Tangled Noodle Edition

Obviously I didn't cook Tangled Noodle, or any noodles for that matter. Rather, I'm embarking on a new feature today - from time to time I'll be cooking the food of other bloggers and posting about it here. Let's face it, we all run across dozens of recipes every day that just beg for our attention. Meanwhile, we're so busy dreaming up recipes of our own, we rarely find the time to cook all those lovely dishes we've book-marked. Or is that just me?

I adore Tangled Noodle's blog. I feel like I learn something new every time I read it - and not just about food and cooking, but about life as well. She's fascinating and so are her recipes. Earlier this week, I was reading her post on the difficulties of eating local during a Minnesota winter and I was completely charmed by the pot pie recipe offered within.

And not just any pot pie either, a Honeyed Apple Turkey Pot Pie ... wow! Scanning the list of ingredients, I realized I had almost everything on hand - so off to the kitchen I went. Of course, I made a few changes too; mostly out of necessity and partly because I'm a bit of a freak. More on that later.

Towards the end of her post, Noodle suggested she might like to add leeks and possibly a turnip next time. I had both on hand, so done and done. Here's what went into my version:

3 strips of crisp, cooked bacon, crumbled

1 large leek, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 rib of celery, chopped

some Herbes de Provence

salt and pepper

1 lb. of ground turkey breast

1 large carrot, peeled and sliced

1/2 of a large yellow turnip, peeled, cubed and steamed until tender

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and chopped, then sauteed with 1 tsp. butter and 1 tsp. of honey

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons white whole wheat flour

3/4 cup beef broth

Puff pastry

I changed up the method of preparation a bit too - and this is where my freakishness comes in. Because raw turkey freaks me out, I browned it a bit first. I began by cooking the bacon. Once cooked, I removed the bacon, drained the fat and added a bit of olive oil to the pan. To it, I added the leeks, onion, celery and a pinch of Herbs de Provence and some salt and pepper. I sauteed until just beginning to color, removed the veggies from the pan, and then browned the turkey in the same skillet. I mixed the cooked veggies with the turkey.

Following Noodle's instructions, I layered the ingredients as per her description, up to and including the apples, substituting the turnips for the potatoes in her recipe. I then made another departure from the recipe, this one out of necessity. I had some beef broth on hand that needed to be used - so I made a roux out of 1 tablespoon of butter and 2 tablespoons of white whole wheat flour, in the same skillet, then added 3/4 beef broth to create a pan sauce. Once thickened, I poured the finished sauce over the pot pie mixture prior to covering the dish with puff pastry and baking it off.

The results? Outstanding! This is a truly spectacular pot pie! There is something so luscious about the combination of apples, bacon, turnips and leeks. The apple really adds something special; a slightly tangy, almost wine-like flavor that rounds out the whole dish. As the pie bakes, the veggies release more water, creating an incredibly flavorful sauce that's just right when soaked up by that yummy puff pastry.

Seriously, Noodle, this is one of the best pot pies I've ever had! Its a recipe I know I'll return to again and again. I love that you've used the ground turkey - something that wouldn't have occurred to me - and having only one layer of pastry crust makes it *slightly* healthier than my typical double-crust version. Not "Beachy" by a long shot, but absolutely perfect for this wicked winter weather. Adding the apple was truly inspired - I love this dish!!

My suggestion for the day: run, don't walk to Tangled Noodle's place and grab her pot pie recipe here. Tell her Diva sent you.

And, stay tuned ... you never know when I might cook you!

Happy Valentine's weekend, everyone!