Leek Pie Food

LEEK, CHEESE & POTATO PIE

Steps:

• To make the pastry, sieve the flour into a large mixing bowl and add 1 tsp sea salt. Coarsely grate in the cold butter, then use your fingertips to work into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. Pour over the vodka and use a butter knife to mix it in, then pour over 2 tbsp cold water and stir again with the knife. If you need to, add a little more water until it comes together as a dough, about 1-2 tbsp. Lightly knead the pastry to a smooth dough in the bowl, dust lightly with flour and wrap in baking parchment. Rest for at least 30 mins.
• Peel and cut the potatoes into 5mm- thick slices and put them in a lidded saucepan. Cover with cold water, add a generous pinch of salt, bring to the boil with the lid on, then lower to a simmer and cook for 8-10 mins until just tender. Drain and leave to steam-dry.
• In a large non-stick frying pan, heat the olive oil, bay leaf and butter together over a medium heat, then add the leek and onion. Season well and add a good grating of nutmeg. Cook, stirring, for 8-10 mins, until softened. Add about 100ml water, and cook until most of it has evaporated. Discard the bay leaf and stir in both the mustards and parmesan. Set aside to cool. Butter and flour a 20cm round pie dish.
• Roll ¾ of the pastry out on a lightly floured surface in a circle larger than the pie dish, then line the dish. Roll the rest into a large circle for the lid and chill both for 10 mins. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• Spoon a layer of the leek mixture into the lined dish, grate over some cheddar and top with a layer of potatoes and the melting cheese slices. Repeat the layering until you have filled the pie dish - press down to compact it.
• Brush some of the egg around the edges, top with the pastry lid and crimp together. Egg wash the lid, scatter over some sea salt and cut two slits in the lid. Bake for 45-50 mins until golden.
• Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 10 mins, then slice and serve with a watercress salad, if you like.

FRENCH LEEK PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in leeks; cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until soft. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low. Stir in cream and cheese, and warm through. Pour mixture into pie shell
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until custard is set and golden on top. Allow to sit 10 minutes before cutting pie into wedges.

LEEK PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400F and place a flat baking sheet on the middle shelf. Remove the pastry from its plastic wrapping (set this aside), cut it into 2 equal parts, then gently roll into slightly thinner 10in squares. Put one onto a lightly buttered baking sheet, cover with the plastic wrapping and put the other pastry sheet on top. Chill for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a frying pan, add the leeks and cook for about 20 minutes, or until they are soft. Mix together the cream cheese, cream, nutmeg and chives in a small bowl. Mix in the leeks and leave to cool.
• Remove the pastry from the fridge and set aside the top sheet on the plastic wrapping. Spread the cooled leeks over the pastry base, leaving a 3/4in edge uncovered. Scatter with the Parmesan and paint the edge with the egg yolk. Form a lid with the other square of pastry and allow the edge of this to flop down onto the bottom layer. Press together lightly. Brush the top with more beaten egg and press the edges together with a fork; trim the sides to neaten.
• Make a few small cuts in the centre of the pie to allow steam to escape. Decorate with the point of a knife, in a criss-cross pattern. Slide the pie on the baking sheet into the oven on top of the pre-heated tray. Bake for around 35-40 minutes or until golden brown, puffed and crisp. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.

LEEK AND POTATO PIE

Steps:

• Peel the potatoes and slice thinly.
• Wash the leeks thoroughly and slice thinly discarding about the last 2 inches of the green tops.
• Mix together the flour, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
• Grease a casserole dish.
• Put in alternate layers of potatoes and leeks sprinkling each layer with the seasoned flour and small chips of butter.
• The top layer should be potatoes.
• Dot the top with butter, pour hot milk on top of the casserole.
• Bake in the oven uncovered (gas 5, 375°F, 190°C.) for about 1 hour.

LEEK TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Line a 9-inch pie pan with dough. Clean and trim leeks, and julienne. Melt the butter, add leeks and season and cook covered over medium to low heat for 20 minutes until softened. Mix the eggs and cream and all but 1/4 cup of the cheese and add the cooled leeks. Pour into pie shell, top with cheese and bake for 40 minutes.
• BRAISED LEEKS
• In an 8-inch skilled saute leeks in butter. Add chicken broth to almost cover. Cover pan, and to cook for about 20 minutes, until tender. Remove leeks to a platter. Reduce cooking liquid, pour over platter of leeks and garnish with fresh thyme.
• FRIZZLED LEEKS
• Heat oil to hot, but not smoking. Toss julienned leeks with some flour in a bowl. Add to hot oil and fry. Can be used as a garnish.

CREAMY WHITE BEAN AND LEEK POT PIE

Steps:

• For the stew: Melt butter in a large skillet over medium. Add the leeks to the pot and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the leeks start to soften and turn golden brown. Stir in the garlic, sage and thyme and cook for 1 minute.
• Stir in the beans then sprinkle over the flour and mix well to combine. Slowly pour in the broth, turn the heat up to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, or until thickened and the leeks are very tender. Add the frozen peas, sour cream and lemon juice to taste. Set aside to cool slightly.
• While the stew cools, make the buttermilk biscuits: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and garlic powder in a large bowl. Add in the butter and cut or snap it into the flour until the pieces of butter are about the size of a pea. Stir in the grated cheese and make a well in the center. Pour in the buttermilk and gently mix until a shaggy dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and bring the dough together. Press it out into a 2-centimeter (1-inch) thick rectangle, then fold it over onto itself. Press and fold the dough two more times, then flatten again to 2 centimeters (1 inch) thick. Trim any wonky edges and cut the dough into 8 rough squares.
• If serving immediately, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F/200 degrees C. Transfer all or a portion of the stew to a casserole dish and top with all or a portion of the biscuits. Brush the biscuits with the melted butter and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Allow the pot pie to cool slightly before serving.

CHEESY LEEK & POTATO PIE

Steps:

• Put the leeks, butter and herbs in a pan, cover and cook over a low heat for about 20 mins until very soft, stirring occasionally. While the leeks are cooking, put the potatoes in a pan of cold water, bring to the boil and simmer for 4-5 mins until just cooked. Drain the potatoes and stir into the cooked leeks. Leave to cool, stir in the cheese and season with plenty of pepper and salt if you want. The filling can now be chilled for use the following day, if you like.
• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Divide the pastry in two and roll one of the pieces to the size of a dinner plate. Transfer this to a baking sheet and roll the remaining pastry and any trimmings to a round about 5cm bigger than the first. Pile the filling into the middle of the round on the baking sheet, leaving a 4cm border. Brush the border with the beaten egg, then drape over the larger piece of pastry. Trim the edges to neaten, then press the sides together with your thumb. Brush the tart all over with egg. Bake for 35-40 mins until golden. Leave to rest for 10 mins before cutting into wedges and serving with beans or greens.

CHICKEN AND LEEK PIE

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 the salt and bring to the boil on the hob, then reduce the heat, cover tightly and simmer for 1-11⁄4 hours until tender.
• Transfer the chicken to a plate. Strain 425ml/3⁄4 pint 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/3 pint 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/Gas 7/fan 200°C Reserve a quarter of the pastry for decoration and roll out the remainder to a shape about 5cm/2in larger than the top of the pie dish, then cut a 2.5cm/1in 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 2.5cm/1⁄2in wide, and two more strips each about 4cm/11⁄2in 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 8 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. (Can be made a day ahead up to this point. Keep chilled and add 4-5 extra minutes at baking time.) Bake for 30 - 35 miutes until the pastry is crisp, puffed up and deep golden brown.).

CHICKEN & LEEK PIE

Steps:

• Cut the chicken breasts into small pieces - I like mine about 1 to 2 inches square.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large pan until very hot. Brown the chicken pieces a few at a time, depending on the size of your pan. When they're all done, put them to one side.
• Add the rest of the oil to the pan. Add the onion and leek, cover and turn the heat down low. Cook like this for about 10 minutes until the onion and leek are nicely softened. Then add the flour, stir in well and cook until completely incorporated, which will take a couple of minutes or so.
• Add a cupful of the stock and stir. The sauce should immediately start to thicken. Add the rest of the stock, bit-by-bit, until you have about a third left.
• Add the chicken pieces back to the pan. Quarter the mushrooms and add them too. If the sauce seems a bit too thick, add a bit more stock. Add the thyme.
• Cook on a medium heat, uncovered, for about 10 minutes, and then pour in the cream. Cook for a further 10 minutes.
• If you are adding the potatoes, boil them separately and then chop into smallish pieces. Add to the sauce.
• Cook until the sauce has reduced to your preferred consistency. If it's too thick, add a bit more stock to thin it out. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Pour the sauce into a shallow ovenproof dish and top with the puff pastry. Cook at 200°C, Gas Mark 6 for 20-30 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown.
• Serve with veggie of your choice. Buttered carrots with parsley would go nicely, as would green beans.

CHICKEN & LEEK PIE

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.

WELSH LEEK PIE

Steps:

• Prepare the leeks by cutting off the roots, the coarse green leaves and the damaged outer layer. Run under the tap to get rid of the dirt and grit. Slice them into a colander and rinse again. Cook them gently in the butter till soft.
• Line a shallow pie dish with a layer of pastry, and turn the leeks and the ham (chopped small) on to it.
• Mix cream and eggs well together. Season with salt and plenty of pepper and strain into pie dish. Cover with a pasrty lid, and brush with milk.
• Bake for about 30 minutes in a 350F oven.
• This pie tastes better warm than hot. If you prefer a flan, just cook without the pastry lid.

LEEK AND POTATO PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and cook the potato slices for 3 mins. Drain and allow to cool.
• Butter a shallow ovenproof dish and spread over the garlic. Layer the potatoes, leeks and cheese, season well, then pour over the cream. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hr.
• Remove the foil and continue cooking for 20 mins or until the top is browned and the potatoes are cooked through. Leave to stand for 5 mins before serving.