Who can resist a good pie?- and this is a very good one. If you have made your own pastry that's all to the good, but if not, it will still be a thing of beauty and everyone will love you for it. Poaching the chicken is a really good wheeze as it not only gives you really tender meat but the stock is sublime. You will have too much so plenty leftover to make a wintry soup, sauce or base for risotto.
Servings | Prep Time |
5-6 depending on greed | 30 mins |
Cook Time |
2 hours |
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Who can resist a good pie?- and this is a very good one. If you have made your own pastry that's all to the good, but if not, it will still be a thing of beauty and everyone will love you for it. Poaching the chicken is a really good wheeze as it not only gives you really tender meat but the stock is sublime. You will have too much so plenty leftover to make a wintry soup, sauce or base for risotto.
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Ingredients
- 1.5 kg chicken free range if possible
- 2 carrots roughly chopped
- 2 celery sticks roughly chopped
- 1 onion cut into wedges
- 2 bay leaves
- sprig rosemary
- 1 tsp salt and pepper
- 50 g butter
- 2 leeks sliced
- 40g plain flour
- 1 tbsp grain mustard
- 2 tbsp creme fraiche
- 1 tbsp tarragon leaves chopped
- 1 lemon grated zest and juice
- 320g pack all butter puff pastry or see previous blog to make your own
- 1 egg, beaten, to glaze
Servings: depending on greed
Instructions
- Put the chicken in a heavy pan with the carrots, celery, onion, bay, rosemary, peppercorns and salt. Pour over cold water to come halfway up the chicken. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, cover tightly and cook for 1-1/4 hours until the chicken is very tender.
- Remove the chicken from the pot, then strain the stock. Measure 450ml of the stock (the rest can be cooled, then kept in the fridge for up to 2 days for another dish, or frozen)
- Remove all the meat from the chicken and cut into bite sized chunks.
- Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/Gas 6. Put a baking sheet in the oven. Heat the butter in a large pan, add the leeks and cook gently for 2-3 mins until slightly softened. Stir in the flour and cook for a minute. Gradually add the stock, stirring all the time until the sauce is thickened and smooth.
- Simmer for 2 mins, then remove from the heat and stir in the mustard, crème fraiche, tarragon and lemon juice and zest. Taste and add more seasoning if needed. Stir in the chicken, then transfer to a 11/5 litre deep pie dish. Put a pie funnel in the centre of the pie, if you have one.
- Roll out the pastry to about 5cm all round than the top of the pie dish. Cut a strip all round the rolled out pastry, about 2cm wide.
- Brush the rim of the pie dish with a little beaten egg, then press the pastry strip onto it.
- Brush the pastry strip with egg, then lift up the main piece of pastry to cover the pie. Press the edges firmly to seal the pie, then pinch the edges all round between your fingers.
- Make a hole in the centre of the pastry with the tip of a knife, then brush the pastry all over with egg. Use the trimmings to decorate the pie as you wish, then brush the trimmings with egg. Bake for 25-35 mins, until the pastry is crisp and deep golden. Serve with a good seasonal green veg such as buttered cabbage, kale or broccoli. A pile of carrots or some roasted sweet potato chips on the side are also good.
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