Savory Pie and Tart

This casual dish is a shortcut version of the lavish Chicken Pot Pie on our dinner menu.

In the Carolina Sea Islands, a “pie” does not necessarily have a crust. This shrimp casserole is a superb luncheon dish and is one of these pies.

Vidalia onions are Georgia’s most famous taste. This sweet onion is grown in southeast Georgia, just a few miles west of Savannah. They can be stored in a cool dry place to use throughout the year.

When I visited the city of Monterrey, a family friend, Amado, lovingly and kindly drove me around, showing me the wonderful delicacies of the surrounding towns. He took me to the small town of Marin where Martha Chapa has a small shop famous for her cookies, where I tried an amazing tomato empanada that I couldn’t stop thinking about. She told me how to make the jam, and, when she saw how excited I was, she gave me a large container filled with it. I kept eating spoonfuls of it on my way home and adapted the recipe once I was back in my kitchen. You can keep the jam chunky, or, if you like a smoother consistency, you can pulse it in a food processor after it’s cooked. The jam can be made well in advance and will keep for months if properly stored. It is very tasty on its own and I recommend that you make a big batch.

We like to refer to this dish as our sophisticated chicken potpie. Lord knows we love chicken, and when you add the sweetness of Vidalia onion, carrots, and celery, you are on your way to some classic Southern comfort food. And we all need a little bit of that sometimes, don’t we?

This is not your typical pea-and-carrot-laden pot pie. Inspired by fall flavors, this sophisticated version is loaded with butternut squash, oyster and chanterelle mushrooms, and fresh sage—all tucked under a layer of golden, flaky puff pastry.

I make these sweet and savory tarts all year round as a first course or served with a salad as a light lunch. The onions take on a lovely blushing red color when they caramelize. Shake it up with a SAZERAC (see page 28)

These are little golden pyramids of puff pastry with a savory filling of smoked duck, sausage, and apple, served with a tart cider sauce. When it comes to entertaining, these packets can be made a day in advance and baked right before serving. Garnish with a scattering of pretty celery leaves.

Like the asparagus tart that’s a harbinger of spring (see page 69), this mushroom-topped variation is a crowd-pleaser. It makes a lovely dinner, or, when cut into bite-size pieces, a perfect hors d’oeuvre for a cocktail party.

Serve this brightly colored, layered tortilla pie with salsa and sour cream on the side. You can assemble the dish ahead of time, then bake it just before serving.

Although it takes just minutes to put together, this savory tart makes an impressive main course. A simple green salad completes the meal. The tart is also a lovely addition to a buffet or a potluck.

This is so easy to make, and it’s a tasty, cheap comfort food dish. It’s a little bit like an open-face pot pie, and the combo of roasted sweet potato and pastry, with a little hit of nutmeg, tips it just a tiny bit in the direction of dessert. This cannot be a bad thing. This will feed four for dinner, or eight if you are serving it as an appetizer.

My roommate recently made this for a party we were having and was surprised that something so tasty and fancy looking could be so easy to make. Everyone loved it and was impressed that she had made it. It travels well, too. Combined with a side salad, it makes for a nice lunch.

One taste of this and you will be hooked. The caramelized onions are so sweet that this could practically be a dessert. Other than the onions taking a while to caramelize, it’s so easy to put together, too. Be sure to let it cool completely, and then use a really sharp knife when cutting it so the squares come out clean.