Chicken Ham And Tarragon Pie Food

HAM & TARRAGON POT PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. In a shallow casserole dish, melt the butter over a medium heat on the hob. Add the onion and celery, and fry gently to soften. Add the flour and stir to coat the vegetables. Slowly add the milk, stirring really well after each addition, making sure there are no lumps of flour before you add the next splash of milk. Once all the milk has been added, bring to a simmer to thicken, then fold in the ham hock and the tarragon. Season to taste, then add about half the beaten egg.
• Cut a circle of puff pastry 2cm wider than the top of the pan and pop it onto seal in the filling underneath, folding the edges to create a crust. Cut the off-cuts of pastry into rough strips and use them to decorate the top. Brush the pastry with the remaining egg and bake in the oven for 25 mins or until the pastry is golden and crisp. Serve with peas.

HAIRY BIKERS' CHICKEN AND TARRAGON PIE RECIPE

Steps:

• Melt the butter with the oil in a large frying pan over a low heat, then add the onion and the crushed garlic. Fry gently for 5-6 minutes until the onion is softened, but not coloured, stirring occasionally.
• Pour in the white wine, then crumble the stock cube into the pan and stir well until it dissolves. Simmer over a high heat, stirring constantly, until the liquid has reduced by half and thickened. Remove from the heat.
• Take the skin off the chicken, then strip the meat from the bones and tear it into bite-sized pieces. Place these in a large bowl. Add the onion and garlic mixture and spoon the crème fraiche on top. Scatter over the tarragon, sprinkle the flour on top and season with a good pinch of sea salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Toss everything together until just combined, then spoon into your pie dish. Preheat the oven to 210°C/420°F/Gas Mark 6½.
• Now for the topping. Brush a sheet of filo pastry with melted butter and cut it into 6. Scrunch up each portion with your hands and place it on top of the filling. Repeat with the remaining sheets of filo until the filling is completely covered.
• Bake the pie in the centre of the oven for 30 minutes or until the filo pastry topping is crisp and golden brown and the filling is bubbling beautifully.

CHICKEN & HAM PIE

Steps:

• Put the chicken in a large pan with the carrots, potatoes, celery, half the thyme and seasoning. Add stock and bring to the boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook gently for 15 minutes. Set a colander over a large bowl, pour in the pan contents and remove thyme. Reserve 600ml/1 pint stock (rest can be frozen).
• Rinse the pan, return to heat and melt the butter. Cook the onions until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour, then the reserved stock a little at a time, to make a smooth thick sauce. Add the milk and simmer for 2 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the remaining thyme, lemon juice and parsley. Season.
• Mix together the chicken, vegetables and ham in a deep 2.2litre/4 pint ovenproof dish, preferably with a rim or lip. Pour over the sauce and leave to cool slightly. Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6/fan 180C.
• Roll out the pastry to about 5cm/2in larger than the top of the dish. Cut a 2.5cm/1in strip from all round the pastry. Brush the rim of the dish with egg and press the strip all round. Brush with egg and lift the pastry on to it, pressing the edges to seal thoroughly. Trim off excess, then mark the pastry edge all round with a fork. Make 4 small slits in the centre. Brush with egg and bake for 25-30 minutes until crisp and golden.