Crab Pot Pie

Ingredients

6 Tbsp. unsalted butter
4 Tbsp. flour
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
4 Tbsp. Better Than Bouillon Lobster Base (find it at HEB)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 small carrot, peeled and cut into 1/8" cubes
2 small new potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8" cubes
3/4 cup frozen peas1/2 cup chopped onion
4 large button mushrooms, stemmed and minced
2 small ribs celery, minced
1/2 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and minced
1 1/2 lb. jumbo lump crab meat
1- 9"x11" sheet store-bought frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon water, to brush pastry

Instructions

Heat oven to 350

Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted, 12 minutes. Add cream, milk, and crab soup base and bring to a simmer; cook; whisking often, until smooth and thick, 34 minutes. Season cream sauce with salt and pepper and set aside. Heat 4 tbsp. butter in a 10" skillet over medium-high heat. Add carrots and potatoes and cook, stirring often, until just soft, 45 minutes. Add peas, onions, mushrooms, celery, and bell peppers and cook until hot, 23 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl, gently stir in reserved cream sauce and the crab meat, and season with salt and pepper.

Unfold one pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Place 4 ovenproof bowls or large ramekins rim down on the pasty and cut out 4 squares a bit larger than the bowls (you may need to roll the pastry out a bit to accommodate all the bowls) brush with egg wash. Divide crab mixture between four 4"-diameter, 8-oz. ovenproof ramekins or mini-pie pans, brush the rims of the bowls with the egg wash, lay a pastry square over each, and seal the edges. Cut steam vents in the pastry. Transfer pies to an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet and bake until golden brown, 3540 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 4