Hearty potpies

Cold winter weather calls for hot hearty food. You could pick up a chicken potpie from the freezer section of the market, pop it into the oven for an hour and serve dinner. But this week’s two potpie recipes surpass any that you can buy.

To make the game pie, plan to cook the game one day, make a stock with the bird the next day, and remove the meat from the bones another, and then prepare the pie—it’s really worth it.

Meanwhile, the tamale pie, adapted from Joanna Pruess’s “Cast Iron Cookbook,” is very easy to make in one day without any problem. Both pies are flavorful and unique: your family and/or guests will appreciate your efforts.

Serve a mixed green salad with mustard vinaigrette and a green vegetable on the side and pour a robust red wine with dinner. Bon appetit!

Game Pie

(Serves 4 to 6)One 5-pound duck, roasted, braised or stewed, bones and fat removed and meat chopped into small bite-size pieces (for a total of 3 to 4 cups of meat)Optional: pheasant, woodcock, or wild turkey, or additional cooked giblets from the fowlAbout 1 tablespoon duck fat or unsalted butter2 leeks, finely chopped1 clove garlic, mincedSea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste1 teaspoon thyme1/2 teaspoon marjoram4 juniper berries and 1 whole all spice plus 1 bay leaf, tied together in cheesecloth pouch2 to 3 cups brown chicken or duck stock (plus leftover jus)About 2 tablespoons arrowroot, whisked with 3 tablespoons ruby port into a slurryFor the vegetables:4 to 5 carrots, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes2 large stalks celery, cut into 3/4-inch cubes2 parsnips, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes1 or 2 white turnips, scrubbed and cut into 3/4-inch cubes12 to 16 small white onions peeledFor the crust:10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into chunks2 cups all purpose flour1/2 teaspoon sea salt1 egg, whisked with 2 tablespoons ice water plus extra water if neededFor the egg wash:1 egg yolk beaten with 2 tablespoons cold waterTo prepare:

One day ahead, working in food processor, add the flour and salt and pulse a few times. Add cold butter and process until the mixture becomes coarse meal. Transfer to a mixing bowl.

With a fork, stir the water and egg together, and then pull the egg mixture through the flour, adding more water if necessary until the mixture forms a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 1 day.

To prepare game pie:

Cut the duck meat into pieces and set aside. Melt the duck fat in a large heavy saucepan over medium high heat, then add leeks and garlic and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes.

Add salt, pepper, thyme, marjoram and sauté a bit longer. Add the duck meat with a little more duck fat if necessary. Sauté to blend the flavors, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan over high heat, add stock plus one cup of water and the spice bag and bring to a boil. Add the carrots, celery, parsnips, turnips, and onions and cook until tender point of a knife. Remove each vegetable when it is cooked.

Drain well and place the vegetables in a large oven-to-table casserole dish. Add the onion/leek/duck mixture to the simmering stock. Taste and correct the seasonings.

Whisk the arrowroot with port until it becomes slurry. Then slowly whisk the arrowroot slurry into the stock and cook until the mixture coats a spoon and is thickened to “gravy consistency.” Remove from the heat and pour over the vegetables in the casserole. Keep warm.

To bake and serve:

Preheat the oven to 400. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface until it is large enough to cover the top of the casserole dish with about a 1½-inch overhang.

Meanwhile, whisk together the egg yolk with water until blended and set aside.

Working quickly, roll the pastry onto the rolling pin and unroll it over the warm duck and vegetables.

Immediately seal the edges with a decorative crimp. The crust will be thicker here, but it needs to be.

Brush with egg wash to completely coat the crust. Cut about three, 1- to 2-inch slits in the center of the pie so the steam can escape.

Set the dish on a baking sheet and bake until the crust is brown and the filling is bubbly, about 25 minutes.

Note: To make ahead of time, fill the casserole dish with duck/vegetable combination. Then bring to room temperature and refrigerate until cold. Cover and refrigerate up to three days before baking.

Set the casserole out to come to room temperature, then roll out the crust, top, crimp, brush with egg wash, and bake until the filling is bubbly and crust is browned. The baking time will be longer, so once the crust is brown, reduce the temperature to 350-375 until the casserole is piping hot, about 1 hour total.

Tamale Pie*

(Serves 8)For the filling:1 tablespoon olive oil1 medium yellow onion, chopped3 large cloves garlic, minced1½ pounds lean ground beef, preferably grass fed, or ground turkey, venison or buffalo1 green bell pepper, choppedOne 15½-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drainedOne 14½-ounce can diced tomatoes, not drained2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, chopped, plus 1 teaspoon or more of the adobo sauce from the can to taste2 tablespoons mole paste (from the specialty section of the market)1 tablespoon ground cumin1/2 cup sliced black olives1/2 cup golden raisinsSea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves1½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, dividedCornbread topping:1 cup plus 2 tablespoons masa harina (for tamales) or coarse stone-ground cornmeal1/2 cup all-purpose flour2 tablespoons sugar1 tablespoon baking powder1 teaspoon salt1½ cups buttermilk2 large eggs, beaten3/4 cup defrosted frozen corn kernels, drained2 tablespoons unsalted butter, meltedTo prepare:

For the tamale pie:

Heat a 10-inch cast-iron Dutch oven over medium-high heat until hot, about 3 minutes.

Add the oil and onion and sauté until golden, about 3 minutes.

Add garlic and sauté until aromatic and then add meat and cook until browned, breaking up the pieces with a wooden spoon, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Once the meat is browned, tip the pan and use a spoon or ladle to remove all but about one tablespoon of the fat.

Add pepper, beans, tomatoes, chipotle chiles with their sauce, mole, and cumin and blend. Bring to a boil, stirring often.

Add olives and raisins, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer to blend the flavors, about 10 minutes, than add cilantro and one cup of cheese.

Meanwhile, make the topping.

Preheat the oven to 375. In a large bowl, combine the masa harina, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

In a glass measuring cup, whisk the buttermilk with the eggs until blended, then stir them into the dry ingredients until blended.

Add the corn and butter and mix well. Drop large tablespoonfuls of the cornbread batter over the warm meat and use the back of the spoon to evenly spread the batter to the edges so that it completely covers the meat. A wet rubber scraper may be helpful. Place in the center of the oven and bake for 30 minutes.

Sprinkle the remainder of the cheese on top and return the pie to the oven. Bake until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the crust comes out clean and the meat is bubbly, about 15 minutes longer.

Remove from the oven and let stand at least 15 minutes.

*Adapted from “Cast Iron Cookbook” by Joanna Pruess, Skyhorse Publishing, 2009.