The key to this dish lies in selecting the right ingredients, especially when it comes to seafood. I always recommend using the freshest shrimp and lobster you can find, whether from a trusted fishmonger or a local market. Quality seafood transforms the pot pie from ordinary to extraordinary. For the biscuit topping, I lean towards using cold butter and buttermilk to get that tender, flaky texture that’s utterly irresistible. When I first tried making biscuits without chilling the butter, the results were less than stellar—a reminder that patience really pays off in baking.

• 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 cup cooked lobster meat, chopped
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk or half-and-half
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 cup diced carrots
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• For the biscuit topping:
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 3/4 cup buttermilk (or milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice)

If you don’t have lobster on hand, crab meat makes a lovely substitution, and you can swap the peas and carrots for seasonal vegetables like corn or green beans depending on what’s freshest.