Vegetable Pot Pie

Prepare a filling by cooking a variety of vegetables; in one recent batch, I included:

• Two large onions
• A bell pepper
• Three carrots
• A double handful of mushrooms
• A russet potato cut into small chunks
• A sweet potato cut similarly
• The kernels cut off an ear of corn
• A handful of green beans cut into one-inch pieces
• A cup of frozen green peas
• A bunch of fresh spinach

In a large pot, melt half a stick of butter and add the vegetables incrementally and cooking until things are mostly cooked, but turn the heat off before they’re fully cooked so that they can finish in the oven.

Delicate items like green peas and spinach do not need to be cooked at this stage and can just be mixed in at the end — they’ll cook through while baking.

Then make a simple roux with a stick of butter and a heaping half cup of flour cooked together for about five minutes, then thin it with with around a quart of milk and maybe a bit of cheddar or other cheese.

Pour the sauce over the vegetables and stir to combine.

Transfer to one or more oven-safe dishes — ramekins with individual servings, or everything together in a big dutch oven.

Top with pie crust or puff-pastry dough.

Bake at 375° for about half an hour or until the crust is lightly browned.