Another year of AniMAY means that it’s time to create another Xenoblade recipe from scratch and with Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition releasing earlier this year, I thought that we could make something from that game! There’s actually a few recipes to choose from in this game, but I’ve been meaning to make a pot pie recipe for a while now and I thought that this would be a great way to kill two birds with one stone, or two indigens with one art in game speak.
Speaking of the game, Xenoblade Chronicles X is actually the second released Xenoblade, originally on the Wii U, but because no one bought a Wii U except for me and like 2 other people, Nintendo decided to rerelease the game with improved graphics and an epilogue expansion, making it the definitive version of the game. And I’m definitely glad they improved the image quality of the food in the game as well, as they look a lot more appetizing now than they did at 720p. And with only a picture to go off of for this dish, it did make it a bit easier to determine what to put in the recipe.
Though it still didn’t really clear up what the white mound and red sauce was. So, I thought that mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce made the most sense, since these tend to go well together, with them both being Thanksgiving staples. And for the filling, with no real indication of what went into the pie, I could only speculate what mysterious filling was in it. So, I thought it would be fun to make a pot pie based on the ingredients one might be able to find if they crash landed on an alien planet, such as wild game and edible plants and mushrooms.
Though, like the last remaining humans stranded on the planet Mira, you can of course adapt the filling in this recipe to the ingredients you have on hand, such as substituting the lamb and bison for more conventional meats like beef, chicken, or even turkey to make the meal fully Thanksgiving-inspired. Or you can even fill the entire pie with chopped up turnips in honor of Tastu, who ends up being on the chopping block of food-related jokes, both figuratively and literally sometimes.
There’s actually a lot of calories in this dish with the pie alone requiring 2 sticks of butter just for the crust, so this certainly isn’t the best thing to make if you’re trying to lose weight, but if you plan on running across the planet for days on end like those on Mira, it will certainly give you lots of energy to burn off.
We are actually playing this game in our rotation of games for The Variety Show, so if you’re curious at all about more of the game or you really love food puns, I highly recommend tuning in to the Live show on this YouTube or Rumble channel or you can even check out the website (you’re on it right now… 👀) and it should pop up when I’m live!
And if you have any leftovers, you can just wrap it in some plastic wrap and aluminum foil and store it in the fridge along with the sides for up to a week or so. Also when you put the pie together, you can fridge or freeze it before baking it if you wish to make it ahead of time.
But in either case, if you plan on journeying across the world, fighting indigens and hostile aliens to save the fate of all of humanity or if you just plan on sitting inside your house playing some Xenoblade Chronicles X, this delicious dish will be a great and filling way of providing you with plenty of energy, in the game and in real life.
Ingredients:
- 2 pie crusts store-bought or homemade
- If you want to make it from scratch, you will need (for each crust so double these if needed)
- 1 ¼ cup flour
- 1/2 cup or 1 stick cold butter
- 1 tsp sugar
- 3/4 tsp salt (if using unsalted butter)
- 1/4 cup cold water.
- 1 lb or so ground meat (you can use whatever type you like, but to make this pie more like the one in the game, I’ll be using a mixture of bison and lamb to give it a gamier taste, but use whatever you prefer)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 yellow onion
- 2-3 celery ribs
- 1 cup mushrooms
- 1/2 cup sherry or marsala wine or water
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/3 cup flour
- 2 cups beef/chicken/vegetable stock/broth
- Some salt and black pepper
- 12 or so oz frozen or fresh mixed peas and carrots
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or milk
- 1 egg (optional egg wash)
- Mashed Potatoes (optional)
- 2-3 potatoes
- 2-4 cloves garlic
- 2-3 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup milk or cream
- Some salt and pepper
- Cranberry Sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup orange juice (or juice from about two oranges)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 (12 oz) bag fresh or frozen cranberries
- Some orange zest
- Some salt
Step 1: Preheat Oven & Prepare Pie Dough, if Needed
First, preheat the oven to 400°F if you plan on baking it right away, and while we wait, we’ll prepare the pie crust. So, if you’re making the dough from scratch, in a mixing bowl, add in your flour, butter, sugar, and salt, if needed.
Then, using a fork, knife, or pastry cutter, cut the butter into cubes and then start working the butter into the rest of the ingredients until it combines into a crumbly texture.
Then, add in the cold water and knead this until the dough combines together.
Then, split it in half if you used enough for two and then combine each into a ball.
Then, flatten the balls slightly and wrap them in plastic wrap and let them rest in the fridge while we prepare the pie filling.
Step 2: Prepare Vegetables (& Prepare Potatoes & Garlic if Making Mashed Potatoes)
For your onion, dice this up, for your mushrooms, dice these up as well, and then for your celery, chop these up into small pieces. If you’re planning on making the mashed potatoes, peel and quarter the potatoes and peel the garlic at this time as well and then place these in a pot of salted water and bring this to a boil, cooking this for 15 minutes or until fork-tender.
Step 3: Cook Ingredients for Filling
While this is happening, in a large skillet, cook and break up the meat for a few minutes or until it browns and then set this aside in a small bowl.
Then, add the butter in the same pan and then once the butter is melted, saute the onion and celery for a few minutes until they start to soften and the onions are just beginning to brown.
Then, add in the sliced mushrooms and saute this for an additional 5 minutes or so, until the onions are browned to your liking.
Then, add in the wine to the pan to deglaze it and then cook this for a couple of minutes until the alcohol burns off and the liquid is slightly thickened.
Step 4: Season Ingredients & Create Sauce w/ Stock & Heavy Cream
Then, add in the garlic powder and thyme and add back in the browned meat to the pan. Next, add in the Worcestershire sauce and mix in the flour.
Then add the beef stock slowly, stirring everything together until you have a nice thickened sauce.
Add in some salt and pepper to taste and then mix in the frozen peas and carrots and heavy cream.
Stir this until everything is combined and then set this aside to cool while we roll out the crust.
Step 5: Roll out Dough (if needed) and Place it into Pie Pan; Fill Pie w/ Filling; & Then Cover & Seal Pie w/ Second Dough Piece & Add Air Vents & Egg Wash
Next, take the dough out of the fridge and then place it on a well-floured surface, and with your floured rolling pin, roll from the center outwards to evenly flatten the dough, lifting and rotating the dough by a quarter turn each time. Continue doing this until the dough is about 2 inches larger in diameter than your upside down pie dish.
Then, once it’s large enough, flip the pan back over, place the dough into the pie dish without stretching it, and trim the edges and transplant any dough to other parts as needed. Similarly, if needed, roll out your other piece of dough in a similar manner and set it aside.
Then, once the filling has cooled slightly, add it to the pie dish. Once all of the filling is in the pie, apply a bit of water or milk along the edge of the pie crust to help the top seal to the bottom, and then gently lay the other piece of rolled dough on top.
Then, using a fork or your fingers, pinch the top and bottom together. Trim off any excess dough and then cut some slits in the center for air vents.
Then, if you wish, before you bake your pie, you may brush the top of it with some milk or your egg mixed with some water to give the pie a browner crust.
Step 6: Bake Pie at 400°F for 30-45 Minutes & Finish Preparing Mashed Potatoes & Cranberry Sauce (If Making)
Then when you’re ready to bake your pie, cover the sides with aluminum foil to keep it from burning, place it in your preheated oven and bake it for 30-45 minutes, or until the filling begins to bubble out of the air vents. While this is happening, we’ll finish preparing the mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce.
So for your sauce, zest and juice your orange and then, in a small saucepan, add in the water, orange juice, and sugar, and bring this to a boil. Then, add in the cranberries, orange zest, and salt and return this to a boil. And then, reduce the heat and simmer this for 10 to 12 minutes or until most of the cranberries have burst open and are softened.
Then, for your mashed potatoes, in a small saucepan or in the microwave, heat up the milk and butter until warm and the butter is melted. Once the potatoes are done, drain them from the water and then add in the butter-milk mixture a little at a time to the potatoes and begin mashing them until they reach your desired consistency. Then, season this with some salt and pepper.
Step 7: Remove Pie from Oven, Let Cool, Serve w/ Mashed Potatoes & Cranberry Sauce, & Enjoy!
Once your pie is golden brown and fully cooked, remove it from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before serving it with your mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce, if you made them, and with that, your Pot Pie is ready to eat.