In case you missed it, celebrated Toronto chef Ted Corrado has just recently made the move from The Drake properties to Summerhill Market, an independent grocer known for its high-quality ingredients and restaurant-quality prepared foods. Hungry yet? Good because I had a chance to catch up with Executive Chef Ted to not only pick his brain about his go-to Summerhill goodies but I also snagged Summerhill Market’s famous chicken pot pie recipe!
See also: Independent Grocery Stores to Support In Toronto
Get to know Chef Ted Corrado and get Summerhill Market’s chicken pot pie recipe!
Blair Stutz: Congrats on the move to Summerhill Market – What do you think sets them apart from other independent grocers in Toronto?
Ted Corrado: Thank you! What I think is really special about Summerhill Market is their unique and longstanding history. It’s such a great story with humble beginnings and to see how they have grown over the past 65 years and have been such a presence in the communities they open their locations in. From a food perspective, I had a former employer who wanted me to launch a prepared food program for his company. He would always say, “Ted, you gotta go to Summerhill and see what they are doing with prepared foods. THEY ARE DOING IT RIGHT!!!” And when I did start looking into Summerhill, he was correct, what they do with prepared foods truly sets them apart from the rest of premium/boutique independent grocers.
BS: What are some of your go-to items to grab at Summerhill Market?
TC: I’ve been lucky enough to have had a Summerhill Market open up in my neighbourhood, The Annex. Quite a few of their items have become staples in my household. My guilty pleasure is Mario’s (our pastry chef) famous brownie. So moist and decadent, it always satisfies my chocolate craving. One of my daughters has recently decided to go vegetarian so Summerhill’s selection of vegetarian and vegan items has taken some of the pressure off my wife and I when it comes to making sure we can offer her healthy options. I also love Indian cuisine, and Chef Chris who creates all of Summerhill’s Indian dishes does a phenomenal job, his vindaloo and butter chicken are fire!!!!
BS: Is there a certain food trend that you wish would just go away?
TC: I get this question a lot, and my answer is, I wish the notion of trends would just go away. As a chef, I think the best food comes from a place of authenticity. Summerhill has a great tradition offering classic, comfort cuisine, something that you want to go back to again and again.
BS: Are there any sneak peeks you can give us into what’s coming down the line at Summerhill Market?
TC: I’m looking to get my fingerprint on everything culinary at Summerhill. You will definitely see a lot of ‘new and improved’ items on our shelves in the coming months. I’m excited to put my spin on some of the Summerhill staples and try to take those dishes to another level, be it through culinary technique or newly sourced premium quality ingredients. Out of the gates, I’ve already launched some of my favourite things, a new and improved southern fried chicken with honey sriracha and buttermilk ranch. At the other end of the spectrum, a semi-prepared beef wellington that just needs to be baked off at home and you’re ready to feast. And one near and dear to my heart — my nonna’s meatball recipe!!!
Summerhill Market’s Famous Chicken Pot Pie
- 1-3/4 cups sliced carrots
- 1 cup butter, cubed
- 2/3 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1-3/4 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3/4 teaspoon pepper
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1-1/2 cups whole milk
- 4 cups cubed cooked chicken
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 4 sheets refrigerated pie crust
Summerhill Market’s Famous Chicken Pot Pie Recipe
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients:
- 1-3/4 cups sliced carrots
- 1 cup butter, cubed
- 2/3 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1-3/4 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3/4 teaspoon pepper
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1-1/2 cups whole milk
- 4 cups cubed cooked chicken
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 4 sheets refrigerated pie crust
Method:
- Preheat oven to 425°. Place potatoes and carrots in a large saucepan; add water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook, covered, 8-10 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain.
- In a large skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add celery and carrot, cook and stir until tender. Stir in flour and seasonings until blended. Gradually stir in broth and milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in chicken and peas, remove from heat.
- Unroll a pie crust into each of two 9-in. pie plates; trim even with rims. Add chicken mixture. Unroll remaining crusts; place over filling. Trim, seal and flute edges. Cut slits in tops.
- Bake 35-40 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.
Feature Image: Summerhill Market
