Chicken Pie
Ingredients
1 large chicken cooked.
1 large leek
1 large onion
1 cup diced bacon
1 cup grated cheese
1 cup whole cream
1 Tblsp chopped spring onion
3 shallots, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, smashed, denuded and chopped
1 Tblsp flour
1 decent chunk of butter
1 tsp mixed herbs (less is more)
1 cup of white wine (I found a cracking NZ Sauv Blanc that acted as a suitable marinade for the chef also)
2 cups chicken stock
4 sheets Puff pastry
Salt to taste
Description
A hearty winter pie recipe of such richness and depth (depending on the baking tray you use) as to knock your taste buds six ways from Sunday.
This is a signature dish pour moi, which although may be traced to a number of recognisable online, offline, between the lines and behind the lines publications (that never quite capture that certain je ne sais quoi that an extra generous splash of white wine always seems to deliver).
Method
Now take a deep breath, have a drink, then take a Leek. A large one; and holding it down on a wooden chopping board with your left hand, chop off 6 inches with your right. Then cut 1/2 inch slices and cut in two again. Put aside.
Remove flesh from one large cooked chicken. Discard skin and chop meat into small 1/2 inch bite sized pieces. Set aside.
Pan fry shallots, onion and leek with the garlic until just brown remove from heat and set aside. (Right, Base camp has been reached - relax, have a think and prepare your senses for the excitement of the final up hill push).
Now the miracle of engineering that is - the Pie Filling. Melt a sizeable knob of butter in a medium saucepan. After gradually adding the flour, begin introducing the wine, chicken stock, cream, grated cheese and diced bacon in a slow and measured fashion allowing to thicken. Stir constantly. Never stop - not even for the phone or an amusing anecdote.
Add chicken, shallots, onion, leek and mixed herbs. Stir through and then remove from heat ensuring a nice creamy porridge-like consistency has been achieved. Max your filling, there is alot of pie to fill. Set aside.
Oil a suitably sized baking tray (18cm x 27cm x 3.5cm) in classic buttery fashion that made your grandmother's hands soft and smell of dairy products constantly.
Remove 4 sheets of Puff pastry from freezer and allow to thaw for 15 mins. Now KNEAD - ay there's a word - knead two sheets of pastry into the base of the well buttered Baking tray making sure to leave no air gaps (overlapping the join will avoid embarrassment at serving time). Some say that quickly baking this lower portion of pastry allows for a crisp base, but like most right thinking people I find that a moist bottom is very rarely turned away. Now spread pie filling evenly throughout. Place remaining sheets of Puff Pastry over the top to form a lid. Join as before. Cut the excess pastry from around the tray being sure to leave an extra 1/2" at the edge to seal the lid with a tidily forked pattern.
You may now incorporate your artistic talents by introducing simple rustic cutouts of pastry added to the top of the pie to enliven and enthrall your guests. A leaf design is customary, but go crazy. Now brush the whole with melted butter until it gleams like a prized automobile.
Place in Oven preheated to 240 deg F for around 40mins or until pastry browns and puffs.
Serve with boiled squash and asparagus, and a chalice of crisp Sauvignon Blanc.
A dessert of a thin, circular slice of Nashi pear, stood in a scoop of ice cream, off set by a square of Lindt chocolate.....is a simple, elegant, somewhat cubist finale. Bon appetite.
Categories
Chicken
Savoury Pies/Tarts/Quiches
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