This is a perfect way to use up any leftover Turkey. To make the sauce, I love to use the Turkey bones to create a rich stock. It adds so much flavor to the dish. If you don’t have homemade stock, use a good quality store bought stock. The biscuits are the perfect way to mop up all that great flavor. The biscuit recipe is adapted from Ina Garten and they are so good and the ideal cold weather comfort food.

Comfort food defined!

serves 6 individual 5 inch pot pies

Ingredients:

for Turkey pot pies:

  • 2 -3 cups leftover Turkey cut in bite size pieces
  • 1 large leek, small dice (substitute an onion if desired)
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 medium parsnip, 1/2 inch dice
  • 2 medium carrots, 1/2 inch dice
  • 1 stalk celery, small dice
  • 1 large potato, 1/2 inch dice
  • 2 cups frozen peas
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 3 1/2- 4 cups Turkey Stock
  • 3 teaspoons bells seasoning, or other favorite poultry seasoning
  • 1/2 cup fresh herbs, parsley, sage and chives
  • Kosher salt and pepper

for bacon cheddar biscuits:

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced
  • 1/2 cup cold buttermilk
  • 1 cold extra-large egg
  • 1 cup grated Cheddar
  • 3 pieces cooked bacon, crumbles
  • 2 tablespoons chopped chives (optional)
  • 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon cream or milk

Directions:

for filling:

Melt butter in a large saucepan (I love my enamel pan for this) and add leek, carrot, parsnip, celery and garlic on medium heat. Sauté until fragrant and translucent (about 5 minutes). Season with salt and pepper and poultry seasoning. Add potatoes and stir an additional few minutes. Next add flour to make a roux, and continue stirring until absorbed by vegetables. Raise heat and pour in stock, scraping up any browned bits and bring to a simmer until the sauce thickens into a loose gravy. Lower heat and simmer for a few minutes until potatoes are just tender. Add peas, Turkey and fresh herbs and adjust seasonings to taste. You can add a bit of extra stock if gravy is too thick. Keep warm while you prepare your biscuits.

for biscuits:

Preheat oven to 425. Place 2 cups of flour, the baking powder, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low, add the diced butter and mix until the butter is approximately the size of peas. Combine the buttermilk and egg in a small measuring cup and beat lightly with a fork. With the mixer still on low, quickly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and mix only until moistened. Next add the grated cheddar, crumbled bacon and chives if using. Mix only until roughly combined. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and roll the dough out to an even thickness (a bit more than an inch thick). Using a biscuit cutter or round, cut out 6 — 3/12 inch biscuits. (You will have 2 extra biscuits which you can cook on sheet pan alongside your pot pies). Divide filling into your ramekins and transfer to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Gently transfer prepared biscuits on top of filling. Brush the tops with the egg wash and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are browned and the biscuits are cooked through. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

cook’s note: the leftover biscuits are delicious refrigerated and reheated the next morning with eggs !