Bette Davis and Chicken Pot Pies

"Bette Davis in rags, she wore the same toque hat three days in a row."  This was the newspaper headline when she was in London defending herself in a case against a movie studio and had worn the same hat for three days in a row.  In rags!

I recently saw a 1971 interview with Bette Davis on the Dick Cavett Show.  She must have have been close to 70 years old and you could have worn her outfit today.  Basic black, above the knee mock-turtle neck dress, fur beret, black knee-high boots and her diamond jewelery.  We all don't have her star trimmings, but she was Bette Davis.  At the end of the fascinating interview she donned a fur vest that matched her beret.  Fabulous, although I am not a fan of fur, you have to appreciate the woman's hip style.

Ah, timeless, basic black style.  Timeless, chicken pot pie.

Always make too much poached chicken.  There are so many things to do with the left-overs.  And there is an art to perfectly poached chicken, gently, gently, gently.

Chicken Pot Pie Filling

Makes 4 pies

1/4 fennel bulb diced
4 baby carrots, diced
1 stalk celery sliced thin
1 cup frozen peas
2 Yukon gold potatoes, diced
2 tbs. chopped parsley
1 cup poached chicken, cubed or shredded
2 tbs. butter
2 tbs. rice flour
3 cups chicken stock, heated


1/2 recipe gluten free tart dough (see February 11, savory tart)

In 2 tbs. of olive oil, Saute the fennel, add the carrots and celery and cook until softened. Turn off the heat and add the peas. Season with a little salt.  Boil the potatoes in salted water until just cooked, drain and toss with the parsley.  Mix everything together with the chicken and set aside.

In a saucepan, melt the butter, whisk in the rice flour and cook for a couple of minutes.  Add the hot stock and cook on med.-high, whisking until it thickens.  Set aside while you prepare the dough.  

Roll out the tart dough in a square shape big enough to cut four circles for your soup bowls.  My bowls are 4" wide at the top, so I cut a 6" circle.  Divide the chicken filling among the four bowls and fill with the thickened broth.  Drape the circles of dough over the bowls. Press around the edges to seal.

Put the bowls on a sheet pan and bake at 375 degrees until the crust is browned, about 20-25 minutes. 

Nothing like Bette Davis, or chicken pot pies...

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