Chicken Ham Asparagus Picnic Pie Food

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.

OLD ENGLISH POSH PICNIC RAISED CHICKEN AND HAM PIE

Steps:

• HOT WATER CRUST PASTRY.
• Sift the flour and salt into a bowl, making a well in the centre.
• Place the water, butter and lard into a saucepan, when the butter and lard has melted bring it all to the boil. Take off the heat.
• Pour the mixture into the centre of the flour. Working very quickly, mix with a wooden spoon. Then knead with hands to produce a smooth and elastic dough. Allow to rest in a warm place for 15 to 20 minutes.
• (This pastry must be used whilst still warm, otherwise it will become brittle and hard to mould. I keep mine in a small pan over gently simmering water.).
• Proceed with your recipe, as below.
• PIE FILLING.
• Place all the pie-filling ingredients in to a large mixing bowl, including the herbs, spices and seasonings. Mix thoroughly with your hands - it's messy, but it's the best way to get everything well amalgamated!
• JELLIED STOCK.
• Heat the chicken or vegetable stock. Mix the gelatine with a little cold water until it is spongy and smooth, gradually add the hot stock to the gelatine and mix thoroughly. Set aside until it is needed.
• MAKING THE PIE.
• Grease an 8" round loose-bottom pie/cake tin or a special decorative pie mould - grease it liberally with melted butter or lard.
• Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 3.
• Take two-thirds of the warm pastry, form into a large, flat disc and put in the bottom of the tin or pie mould. Gently press and mould until the pastry covers the base and sides of the tin, keeping it as even as possible.
• Fill the pastry pie case with the pie filling mixture - packing it down well.
• Moisten the top edges of the pastry with the beaten egg. Roll out the remaining pastry and cut a circle or oblong to fit the top of the tin. Place over the filling and seal the edges, without pressing the pastry down too heavily. Trim the edges. Make a hole in the top centre of the pie and use any pastry trimmings to make pastry leaves and decorative trimmings. Press these onto the top of the pie and glaze the whole thing with beaten egg.
• Now lay a sheet of foil over the top and bake for 2 hours, then remove from the oven. Leave the pie for 30-45 minutes to firm up, then turn up the oven temperature to 190C/375F/Gas Mark 5. Carefully remove the pie from the tin and brush the pastry all over with the remaining beaten egg. If the sides show any sign of bulging, encircle the pie with a band of silicone paper (parchment) and tie with string.
• Return the pie to the oven and as the pastry continues baking it will firm up (if you used the paper, you will gradually be able to peel it away, but add a little more egg to the unglazed parts) and all the pastry will brown - it will take approximately 30 minutes. As the top will brown before the sides, it will need to be protected with foil while the sides finish browning.
• When the pie is a glowing golden colour, remove from the oven, leave to cool, then cover and chill.
• Meanwhile have the jellied stock warmed slightly (by sitting it in a bowl of hot water), then cool it to the syrupy stage and pour it into the pie very gradually through a funnel, in to the centre steam hole (as much as it will take). Chill again to give the jelly a chance to set and then - believe it or not - it's ready to serve!
• Serve with assorted fresh salads, pickles, mustard, chutney and relishes. Will pie keep for up to 5 days in a cool place or the fridge.
• This freezes very well, defrost overnight, sitting the pie on a wire rack to avoid the pastry becoming soggy.
• Wrap the pie for a picnic in greaseproof paper and cut the pie into slices when you arrive at your destination.

HAM AND ASPARAGUS PIE

Steps:

• Melt margarine in saucepan over med. heat.
• Stir in the next 3 ingredients.
• Remove from heat.
• Gradually stir in milk until smooth.
• Cook over med. heat, stirring constantly until sauce comes to a boil, let boil one minute.
• Stir a small amount into mayonnaise to temper, then add mayo into hot milk mixture.
• Add the ham, asparagus and lemon juice; cook until heated.
• Pour into pastry shell.
• Sprinkle with cheese.
• Broil about 2 minutes or until lightly browned.

CHICKEN ASPARAGUS PIE

Steps:

• Sauté the carrots, onions and mushrooms in the butter, cook for 5 minutes.
• Stir in the flour and gradually add the milk stirring until the sauce thickens, boils and is smooth.
• Add the chicken, asparagus, seasoning and cream to the sauce.
• Pour the mixture into a 1¼-quart pie dish.
• Roll the pastry to the same size as the dish, dampen the rim and cover with the pastry.
• Brush with egg wash.
• Bake at 400°F for 25 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.

ASPARAGUS HAM DINNER

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet, saute asparagus and yellow pepper in oil until crisp-tender. Add tomatoes and ham; heat through. Drain pasta; add to mixture. Stir in parsley and seasonings. Sprinkle with cheese.

HAM & ASPARAGUS PIE

Steps:

• Spray a pie plate with vegetable spray.
• Press rolls out evenly into a 9-inch pie plate.
• Combine all remaining ingredients and pour into crust.
• Bake at 350° for 45 minutes.
• Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.