1 whole chicken*
2 qt. water
1 onion, quartered
2 bay leaves
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 lb. fresh or frozen okra, cut into 3/4-inch slices
2 (10 oz.) cans whole tomatoes and green chilies
1 lb. Andouille sausage, sliced**
1 tbsp. dried thyme
1 lb. unpeeled, large fresh shrimp
2 (17.25 oz.) pkg. frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, lightly beaten

Bring chicken, 2 quarts water, quartered onion and bay leaves to a boil in a Dutch oven. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour or until chicken is tender. While chicken is cooking, peel and devein shrimp; refrigerate. Remove chicken; reserve 1 1/2 cups broth, and discard onion and bay leaves. Let chicken cool. Skin, bone, and coarsely chop chicken.

Cook flour and oil in Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring constantly, 15 to 20 minutes or until roux is chocolate colored. Add bell pepper, chopped onion, and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add okra, tomatoes and green chiles, sausage, thyme and reserved 1 1/2 cups broth. Cover and simmer 30 minutes. Stir shrimp and chicken into gumbo. Cook just until shrimp turn pink. Remove from heat, and set aside to cool slightly. Roll each pastry sheet out on a floured surface. Cut 4 circles out of each sheet of pastry, 1/2 inch larger than rims of individual 2-cup soup crocks. Return pastry to freezer for at least 15 minutes. If you want, you can cut out decorative leaf shapes from the excess pastry strips. Ladle gumbo into crocks, filling 3/4 full, and place 1 pastry circle over each bowl, pressing firmly to sides of bowl to seal edges. Arrange decorative leaves on top of pastry. Brush top of each pastry circle with beaten egg.

Bake pot pies at 400°F for 20 minutes or until pastry is puffed and golden.

*You can save yourself some time by preparing the chicken and stock ahead and storing it in the refrigerator.

**One lb. Kielbasa may be substituted for Andouille sausage.

Yield: 8 servings.