Chicken And Mushroom Puff Pie Food

CHICKEN & MUSHROOM PUFF PIE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large, non-stick frying pan. Season the chicken to taste and fry for 5-8 mins until golden brown, turning occasionally. You may need to do this in two batches, depending on the size of your pan.
• Lift the chicken onto a plate and tip the bacon into the pan. Fry for 5 mins until crisp. Add the onion, mushrooms and thyme, then fry on a high heat for another 3 mins until the onions start to colour.
• Tip the flour into the pan and cook, stirring, for 1 minute With the pan off the heat, gradually stir or whisk in the stock, followed by the milk, then add the chicken back to the pan.
• Bring to the boil, then simmer for 30 minutes Spoon the filling into a large pie or baking dish (approx 8 x 12in) with a lip and leave to cool.
• Heat oven to 425°F On a floured surface, roll the pastry to 1/4in thick. Cut a long strip as wide as the rim of the pie dish and, using a little of the egg, fix to the edge of the pie dish. Brush with egg, then lift the rest of the pastry over the pie, using the rolling pin to help.
• Gently press the edges with your fingers and trim with a sharp knife. Brush lightly with egg to glaze, then bake for 30 mins or until the pastry is risen and dark golden brown.

CHICKEN & MUSHROOM PUFF PIE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large, non-stick frying pan. Season the chicken thighs and fry for 5-8 mins until golden brown, turning occasionally. You may need to do this in two batches, depending on the size of your pan.
• Lift the chicken onto a plate and tip the bacon pieces into the pan. Fry for 5 mins until crisp. Add the onion, mushrooms and thyme sprigs, then fry on a high heat for another 3 mins until the onions start to colour. Tip the flour into the pan and cook, stirring, for 1 min.
• With the pan off the heat, gradually stir or whisk in the chicken stock, followed by the milk, then add the chicken back to the pan.
• Bring to the boil, then simmer for 30 mins. Spoon the filling into a large pie or baking dish (approx 20 x 30cm) with a lip and leave to cool.
• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. On a floured surface, roll the pastry to the thickness of two £1 coins. Cut a long strip as wide as the rim of the pie dish and, using a little of the beaten egg, fix to the edge of the pie dish. Brush with beaten egg, then lift the rest of the pastry over the pie, using the rolling pin to help. Gently press the edges with your fingers and trim with a sharp knife.
• Brush lightly with egg to glaze, then bake for 30 mins or until the pastry is risen and dark golden brown.

CHEAT'S CHICKEN AND MUSHROOM PIE

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 220°C.
• Fry the lardons (without oil, the lardons provide the fat).
• Move the lardons to one side.
• Add the chopped shallot and crushed garlic, warm through until the shallot is soft.
• Put the puff pastry in the oven.
• Add the chicken, pepper and thyme to the frying pan, cook on medium heat for 2 minutes.
• Add the white mushrooms, cook on medium heat for 2 minutes.
• Add the wild mushrooms, cook on low heat for 8-10 minutes.
• While the chicken is cooking, make the white sauce with chicken stock added.
• Add the peas and white sauce to the chicken, heat gently for 2-4 minutes to mix thoroughly.
• Serve the chicken and shrooms with the puff pastry lid placed on top.

CHICKEN, LEEK & MUSHROOM PIE

Steps:

• Put the chicken in a large pan with the bay, half the thyme sprigs, the parsley stalks, onions, garlic, stock and seasoning. Pour the milk over the chicken and, if you need to, top up with water to make sure the chicken is covered. Bring the chicken to the boil, then turn down and simmer for 15 mins. Lift from the liquid and leave to cool.
• Drain the poaching liquid through a sieve into a large jug - you need 650ml to make the sauce for your pie.
• Meanwhile, heat the butter in a saucepan over a low-medium heat. Add the leeks and the mushrooms, and cook for 5-10 mins until soft, then season well. Add the flour and stir to coat the vegetables. Slowly add the poaching liquid, stirring until you have a thick sauce.
• Using two forks, pull the chicken apart into thumb-sized chunks rather than chopping it - I feel you get a far better pie this way. Chop the parsley leaves, then stir into the leeks with the thyme leaves, crème frâiche and chicken. Check the seasoning, then spoon the mixture into your pie dish (or dishes) to cool slightly.
• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Roll out the pastry on a lightly dusted work surface to the thickness of a £1 coin. Cut thin strips from the edges and use a little water to stick these around the lip of the pie dish, then wet the top of the pastry strip. Lift the pastry on top of the pie, trim the edges and crimp them with your fingers or a fork. Brush the top with milk and cut a steam hole in the middle.
• Put the dish on a baking sheet and cook in the oven for 20-25 mins until the pastry is risen and golden. Some of the filling will have bubbled up through the steam hole. Have a bottle of tomato ketchup on hand to serve, if you like - and be careful, the pie will be hot.