British: Chicken Leek Mash pie recipe

In message Jen

Nice to here someone who can appreciate 'Good Old English' cooking. Nowadays many individual pubs (definately not the chains), produce excellent fare. Best to go by, if possible, 'word of mouth'. When I return to Yorkshire we visit pubs and whilst I drink Wendy eats. I often make notes on meals which I then try to reproduce or adapt.

Here's a couple of recipes to try out:

Chicken & Leek Pie 'Step by step cooking' Gary Rhodes. ------------------

¸ lb puff or flaky pastry salt and black pepper ¸ oz butter 1 large leek, cut into 1" pieces 4 boneless chicken breasts 6 fl oz double cream/cr�me fra”che 1¸ medium onions a squeeze of lemon juice ¸ garlic clove 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten 1 pt chicken stock

Method: ------

Pre-heat the oven 200¡¡C, 400¡¡F, Gas Mark 6. Cook the chicken pieces in the butter for 2-3 minutes until it turns white. Don't let it brown! Finely chop the onions, add to the pan and cook for a further 3-4 minutes. Now smash the clove placing it into the pan with the chicken stock and seasoning. Cook for 15-20 minutes until the chicken is tender.

Plunge the pieces of leek into salted water and cook for 3-4 minutes until just tender. Drain thoroughly and leave to cool.

Lift the chicken and onions from the stock with a slotted spoon and reserve. Strain the stock and transfer into a clean saucepan. Boil until reduced to ¸ the original liquid. Add the chicken, leek and onions.

Reduce the cream by half by simmering and add to the chicken with a the lemon juice. Fold thoroughly until everything is well coated. Pour into a 2pint pie dish. Roll out the pastry, trim and cover the pie Score a diamond pattern on the top, make a hole in the centre and glaze with the beaten egg. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes, until golden brown.

NB. I often make the pie without the cream using more reduced stock with a little cr�me fra”che mixwd to it ---------------

Chicken Pot Pie 'Mary Berry's Complete Cookbook' ---------------

2lb chicken (giblets removed) 3tbsp plain flour, extra for dusting 2pts chicken stock a pinch of grated nutmeg 1 onion, quartered salt and black pepper 1 leek, sliced 4oz frozen peas 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1tbsp chopped parsley 2oz mushrooms, sliced 6oz shortcrust pastry 2 small waxy potatoes beaten egg yolk, for glazing 1¸oz butter 3¸ pt pie dish

Method: ------

Pre-heat the oven 190 C¡, 375¡ ¡F, ¡Gas ¡Mark 5.

Place the chicken, stock, onion and garlic into a large pan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add the potatoes and continue to simmer for 20 minutes, until the cooked and the chicken is tender. Remove the chicken and strip out the meat, cut into bite-sized pieces, discarding the skin and bones. Remove also the potato and dice it. Reserve. This can be done the day before you want to make the pie.

Take one pint of the stock and skim off the fat. In a clean pan melt the butter, then add the flour stirring all the time. Lower the heat a little and cook for about a minute. Do not let the butter/flour roux brown. Add the stock gradually, whisking, until it comes to the boil and thickens. Add the nutmeg and season to taste.

Meamwhile fry the leeks in a little butter for 5 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms and continue to fry until the vegetables have softened.

Stir in the chicken pieces, onion, diced potato, peas and parsley into the prepared sauce and add the leeks and mushrooms. Mix well and place into the pie dish.

Cover the pie with the pastry lid and decorate with the trimmings. Make a hole in the centre and glaze with the beaten egg yolk.

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 30 minutes or until the top is crisp and golden brown.