Chicken, Leek and Mushroom Pie
Looking back at this recipe from my first cookbook ‘Gimme the Recipe’ I spied an editing note that said suggesting rice as something to serve with it seems like ‘a strange combination.’ I stand by that suggestion though and for me it works. You’re only going to get a small bit of pastry in proportion to the filling and while it is the good buttery stuff I for one definitely need another carb to go with it and I choose rice! The filling works really well in vol au vent cases too which make for nice starter or lunch options maybe with a salad. I just made this pie again during the week and as a classic it will never go out of favour. I do hope you get a chance to try it out.
Ingredients – serves 4–5
1 quantity shortcrust pastry (I have a recipe in the book to to make your own or buy frozen and thaw out – i usually do the latter.)
1 leek
50g unsalted butter
1 tbsp olive oil
4 skinless chicken breasts
2 tsp thyme
8 large button mushrooms
2 tbsp flour
300ml milk mixed with 100ml water
1 egg and a splash of milk for egg wash on pastry
Method:
Prepare the pastry and leave it to rest (or defrost if shop bought).
Preheat the oven to 180oC/Gas Mark 6.
Prepare the leek by cutting off the root and discarding any darker outer leaves. Slice the leek in half lengthways and rinse, then finely slice the leek and rinse again in a colander (as the leek grows in layers, dirt can get trapped in between).
Melt the butter and olive oil together in a large frying pan over a low heat.
Add the leek to the oil and butter and leave to soften while you chop the chicken into bite-size chunks.
Add the chicken to the leek with the thyme and turn up the heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, wash and slice the mushrooms.
Push the chicken out to the sides of the pan and cook the mushrooms for 2 minutes.
Add the flour, mix well and cook for 1 minute.
Gradually add the milk/water mix and stir well to thicken the sauce.
Simmer for 15 minutes.
Transfer the chicken and leek mixture to a large ovenproof baking dish and cover the top with the pastry.
Brush over the pastry with the beaten egg and milk and prick the top of the pastry with a fork or score with a knife to vent it in a few places.
Bake in the hot oven until the pastry is golden brown – this should take around 25 to 30 minutes.
Serve with boiled wholegrain rice.
xx Sheila.
