Chicken Leek And Mustard Pie Recipes

Steps:

• Put the chicken into a deep pan that is just large enough to hold it quite snugly. Pour in enough water to half-cover the bird, then tip in the peppercorns, bay leaves, thyme, onion and celery. Add ½ tsp salt and bring to the boil on the hob, then reduce the heat, cover tightly and simmer for 1 hr-1 hr 15 until tender.
• Transfer the chicken to a plate. Strain 425ml of the stock into a measuring jug (top up with water if you need to). Strip the meat off the chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces and put in a 1.7-litre pie dish.
• Put the eggs in boiling water and boil for 6 minutes. Drain, cool them under cold water and remove the shells. Quarter the eggs and nestle them in the pie dish among the chicken pieces.
• Heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan and fry the bacon until crisp. Add the leeks and cook for 2 minutes until softened. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the chicken stock a third at a time, stirring continuously and making sure the sauce is thick and smooth before adding the next batch. Stir in the mustard, crème fraîche and parsley, then add a squeeze of lemon juice and black pepper to taste. Add salt if needed. Spoon over the chicken and leave to cool.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Reserve a quarter of the pastry for decoration and roll out the remainder to a shape about 5cm larger than the top of the pie dish, then cut a 2.5cm strip from all round the edge. Brush the edge of the dish with water and stick the pastry strip to it. Brush the strip with water. Flip the pastry lid over the rolling pin, lift it up and unroll over the pie. Press the edge on to the pastry strip to seal, and trim any excess with a sharp knife.
• Tap the blade of a small sharp knife all along the outside edge of the pastry (this helps the edge to rise during cooking), then flute it using the back of the knife. Make a hole in the lid centre with the tip of the knife, to allow steam to escape as the pie bakes.
• Roll out the pastry you put aside earlier. Cut 8 long strips each about 1cm wide, and two more strips each about 4cm wide. Cut the wider strips diagonally to make eight diamond leaf shapes. Mark the veins of the leaves with the tip of a sharp knife. Brush the pastry lid with beaten egg, then lay the eight thin strips on top, as in the picture. Brush again with egg and arrange the leaves in the centre, between the strips. Brush with egg.
• Chill the pie for 15 mins, if you have time, to set the pastry. Will keep in the fridge for one day - just add 4-5 mins to baking time. Bake for 30-35 mins until the pastry is crisp, puffed up and deep golden brown.

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a wide casserole dish over a medium-high heat, and season the chicken all over. Cook the chicken on all sides until the skin is crisp and golden brown (they don't need to be cooked through at this point). Transfer to a plate.
• Discard all of the fat in the pan except about 1 tsp, and fry the leeks for 5-6 mins until starting to turn bright green and tender. Add a splash of water if the leeks are beginning to turn golden. Scoop out and set aside with the chicken.
• Tip the potatoes into the pan, then pour over the chicken stock and nestle in the thyme. Cook, uncovered, over a high heat for 10 mins, then reduce the heat to medium. Stir in the mustard, crème fraîche, peas and leeks. Nestle the chicken back into the pan, so it's mostly covered by the sauce.
• Put on the lid and cook for about 20-25 mins until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are tender. If you prefer a thicker sauce, mix the flour in a small bowl with 2 tbsp cold water. Stir into the sauce and simmer with the lid off for 2-3 mins more until the sauce thickens. Grind over some black pepper to serve.

Steps:

• Thickly slice chicken thighs. Cut slices in half so you have large chunks of meat.
• Heat a large frying pan or heavy-based saucepan with 2 TBSP of the oil. Brown the chicken in two batches until lightly golden, then removed and place in a bowl. Add chicken bacon to the pan and saute for 2-3 minutes until lightly golden. Add to the chicken and set aside to cool.
• Add remaining oil to the pan. Add leek, cover and saute for a couple minutes until softened. Remove lid and cook the leek until the juices have evaporated. Add garlic and marjoram and saute for a minute. Add to the chick, cover with a paper towel and set aside.
• Meanwhile prepare bechamel sauce: melt butter in a saucepan and sprinkle in the flour and stir. Cook for 2 minutes over gently heat. Add salt and pepper and stir well.
• Continue stirring and add the milk slowly, 1/2 cup at a time. Stir until the sauce begins to thicken and is smooth. Simmer on low heat for 2 minutes then stir in cheese and mustard. Stir well, simmer for 2 minutes then removed from heat. Spread across a shallow dish to assist cooling. The sauce MUST be cold before continuing.
• Brush a 2cm deep, 26-28cm square, or round pie dish with melted butter. Brush one sheet of filo with butter and line the dish (Butter side up). Repeat to make 8 layers. Keep pastry covered with a clean damp cloth while layers to keep it from drying out.
• Take the bowl of cooled chicken, bacon and leek and tip into a sieve paced over a bowl. drain away the excess cooking juices and discard. combine with the cooled bechamel sauce in a large bowl and mis well with a fork. spread evenly into the filo base.
• Butter and layer the remaining 8 pieces of filo pastry to make the lid. Brush pie edges with milk then press the pastry lid on and shap it to the ede of the pie tin, trimming off any excess pastry with kitchen scissors or a small knife. Brush with remiaing butter and sprinkle with seeds.
• Bake 200 degrees C for 35-40 minutes.
• NOTE:.
• A baking tin will transfer heat better than a ceramic dish and will result in a pie with a well-cooked base. Therefor if using a ceramic dish, increase cooking time.