Turkey and Mushroom Potpies -- What We Brought to the Table

May 2035. Lily's book had gone to its third printing. She called me from Norman with the news and I said that was good and she agreed it was good and we talked about what the third printing meant in terms of reach—more classrooms, more community organizations, more practitioners finding it. The footnote that credited my food journal had been noticed by people who'd asked Lily if they could contact me, and she'd given my information to a few people whose intentions she vouched for. I'd had three conversations over the past year with practitioners from other communities—a Chickasaw woman in Ada, a Choctaw man from Durant, a Creek woman from Okmulgee—who had read the book and wanted to compare notes.

Those conversations were good. The similar problems from different angles: how to source traditional ingredients when the supply chains had broken down, how to teach the preparations when there was no living elder who remembered them, how to balance authenticity with adaptation in a context where adaptation had already happened for a hundred years. I didn't have answers to all of it. But I had a methodology: start with what you know, document it as you go, give it to the people who want it, stay in relationship with the land. That methodology worked regardless of which tradition you were applying it to.

Made a three-tribe dinner at the barn in May—the Chickasaw woman, the Creek woman, and Caleb and River and a few others. Each of us brought a dish from our own tradition. We ate everything and talked about each dish. It was the best food conversation I'd had in years.

That evening at the barn stayed with me long after everyone had gone home. Each of us had brought something from our own tradition, and what surprised me was how the dishes talked to each other — the commonalities underneath, the different ways we’d each learned to make something nourishing from what the land offered. The Turkey and Mushroom Potpie I brought was my contribution to that conversation: a dish that speaks to the deep pairing of foraged mushrooms and hunted turkey that runs through so many Southeastern traditions, wrapped in a crust that holds everything together the way a good gathering does. It’s the kind of recipe that’s worth passing along.

Turkey and Mushroom Potpies

Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups cremini or mixed wild mushrooms, sliced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 2 1/2 cups cooked turkey, shredded or chopped
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken or turkey broth
• 3/4 cup whole milk or unsweetened oat milk
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 sheets refrigerated pie crust (or homemade, enough for 6 individual ramekins)
• 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven. Heat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease six 10-ounce ramekins or oven-safe bowls and set them on a rimmed baking sheet.
2. Cook the vegetables. Warm oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6–8 minutes. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms release their liquid and begin to brown, another 4–5 minutes.
3. Build the filling. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetable mixture and stir to coat. Cook for 1 minute. Gradually pour in the broth, stirring constantly to prevent lumps, then add the milk. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
4. Add turkey and seasoning. Stir in the shredded turkey, thyme, and rosemary. Season generously with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and fold in the frozen peas. The filling should be thick and creamy — if it seems too thin, simmer another 2 minutes.
5. Fill the ramekins. Ladle the filling evenly among the prepared ramekins, filling each nearly to the top.
6. Top with crust. Cut the pie crust into rounds slightly larger than the diameter of your ramekins. Lay a round over each filled ramekin, pressing the edges down gently to seal. Cut two or three small slits in the top of each crust to allow steam to escape. Brush with beaten egg.
7. Bake. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 22–28 minutes, until the crusts are deep golden brown and the filling is bubbling through the vents. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 420 | Protein: 24g | Fat: 18g | Carbs: 38g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 480mg