A Taste of the New PCC Cookbook

If you've not cooked with celeriac before, this is a great place to discover just how it can shine — it offers the same peppery flavor as celery with a texture that’s smooth and dense, like a turnip. While celery tends to dissolve into mush when it’s cooked in soups, celeriac holds its shape but softens to a tender bite. 

Ingredients:

Serves 8

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2cups whole milk
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 14 ounces), cooked and shredded
• 1 cup peeled and chopped carrots (from about 1 large carrot)
• 1 cup peeled and chopped celeriac (from about 1 medium celeriac)
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, divided
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 4 ounces cold Neufchâtel (low-fat cream cheese)
• 1 cup cultured buttermilk

How to make it:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

In a Dutch oven over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter. Add the onion and garlic; cook until the onions are soft, about 7 minutes. Stir in 1⁄4 cup of the flour to form a loose paste. Slowly whisk in the broth and milk; season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until slightly thickened, 5 to 7 minutes.

Stir in the chicken, carrots, celeriac, peas and 1 tablespoon of the dill and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, prepare the biscuits by mixing together the remaining 2 cups flour, the baking soda, the baking powder, the sugar, a generous pinch of salt and the remaining 2 tablespoons dill in a bowl.

Add the remaining 4 tablespoons butter and the Neufchâtel and combine with a pastry blender or your fingertips until mixture is crumbly and no piece is larger than an English pea. Stir in the buttermilk and gently mix with a large fork or your hands to form a dough.

Roll the dough out into a circle that will fit inside the Dutch oven; height will vary somewhat according to the size of the pot, but it should be between 1⁄2 and 1 inch thick. With a very sharp knife, cut the circle of dough into triangles (as if you were slicing a pie) and place them on top of the hot potpie filling. Bake until the biscuits are golden brown and the filling is bubbly around the edges, 15 to 20 minutes.