Pieday bonus: Snipe pie for dinner

The recent talk about the Arkansas snipe being put on the endangered species list has brought the cookbooks out in my family. Before the snipe goes on the hallowed list of Animals We're Not Allowed To Eat, we want to enjoy it at its best. We've dallied around with several applications, including Blackapple-and-Sage Stuffed Snipe, Orange-Farkleberry Glazed Snipe and our former favorite, Snipe Gravy and Biscuits. But instead, we've settled on Snipe Pot Pie. This'll be Hunter's first chance to experience the delicacy. We're very excited. More on the release on Tie Dye Travels.

Snipe Pot Pie

1 pound chopped snipe, silverskin removed
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup frozen green peas
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1 3/4 cups farkleberry juice
2/3 cup reduced beef stock
2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a saucepan, combine snipe, carrots, peas, and celery. Add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.

In a saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Slowly stir in farkleberry juice and beef stock. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and set aside.

Place the snipe mixture in bottom pie crust. Pour hot liquid mixture over. Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.