Homespun Pot Pie

I should really be all over this theme. Everything I cook qualifies, but this is one of Manny's favorite meals ever--especially in the winter. By the way, our low was -7 degrees F last night with wind chills from 10 to 20 below 0!

This is from Moosewood Restaurant New Classics (thanks wirrek!). It takes a lot of ingredients and a little time, but it's worth it!

Vegetables
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups coarsely chopped onions
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried marjoram
4-5 cups sliced or halved mushrooms
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 cups peeled and chopped sweet potatoes (1/2 in cubes)
2 cups chopped potatoes
2 cups peeled and chopped parsnips (optional-I leave them out)
1/2 tsp black pepper
3 cups water or stock
3 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 1/2 cup cold water
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
1 cup fresh or frozen corn
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt

Biscuit topping
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
6 Tbsp melted butter
1 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt
1 tsp fresh or dried dill

Preheat oven to 400 deg F. Lightly oil a 9x13 in casserole dish.

Warm oil in a large pot. Add onions and garlic, cover and cook over medium heat for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt, thyme, marjoram, mushrooms, and mustard. Cook until the mushrooms start to release their juices (about 5 min).

Add sweet potatoes, white potatoes, parsnips (if using), black pepper, and water or stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until vegetables are just tender. Stir the dissolved cornmeal mixture into the simmering vegetables, stirring constantly. When the liquid starts to thicken, mix in the peas, corn, soy sauce and salt. Pour the vegetables into the casserole dish and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. In a separate bowl, mix together the melted butter and buttermilk or yogurt. Combine the wet with the dry ingredients with as few strokes as possible (dough will be very soft and wet). Drop the biscuit batter over the vegetables in the casserole dish. Sprinkle the dill over the biscuits.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center of a biscuit comes out clean.