Ingredients
- 3 3/4 lbs (1 3/4 kg) whole chicken
- 2 sliced celery stalks
- 1 sliced yellow onion
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 thyme sprig
- 1 teaspoon crackled black peppercorns
- 1 peeled, chopped carrot
- 1 lb (450g) peeled, chopped potatoes
- 1/2 lb (225g) peeled, chopped carrots
- 5 oz (150g) leeks, in 1-inch (2 1/2 cm) pieces
- 7 oz (200g) baby button mushrooms
- 3 oz (75g) butter
- 5 1/4 oz (150 ml) heavy cream (double cream), optional
- 1 1/2 oz (45g) all-purpose (plain) flour
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Method
- Remove the giblets from the chicken (if it has them) and keep for another use
- Put the chicken in a snug-fitting pot with the celery, onion, thyme sprig, peppercorns and bay leaves.
- Cover with 3¼ pints (1½ litres) of water and bring it to a boil.
- Now cover and simmer for 25 minutes.
- Turn the heat off and let the chicken sit in the pan for an hour.
- Remove the chicken to a chopping board and let it cool right down.
- Pour the stock into a bowl and clean out the pot.
- Strain the stock back in to the pot.
- Bring it to a boil then add the potatoes and cook for 2 minutes
- Add the carrots and cook for 4 minutes.
- Add the leeks and cook for 4 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
- Transfer the potatoes, carrots and leeks to a large bowl, using a slotted spoon.
- Bring the stock back to the boil and have it boiling fast for 30 minutes or until it reduces to 14 fl oz (400 ml).
- Chop the chicken into pieces and discard any skin and bones.
- Toss it with the vegetables in the bowl.
- Melt an ounce (25g) of butter in a pan and sauté the mushrooms for 2 minutes, then add those to the bowl with the chicken mixture.
- Add the rest of the butter then when it melts you can add the flour and cook for a minute.
- Stir in the reduced chicken stock and bring it to a boil.
- Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Take the pan off the heat and stir in the nutmeg, cream and chopped thyme.
- If you prefer not to use cream, you can use tomato sauce or some broth instead.
- Add the parsley too if using.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir this sauce into the chicken mixture.
About Halfway There!
- Spoon the mixture into a 2-inch (5 cm) deep, 4-pint (2-litre) ovenproof dish.
- Put a pie funnel in the middle.
- Now you can prepare the pastry.
- Sift the flour and salt into your food processor, then add the lard and butter.
- Pulse until it looks like fine breadcrumbs, then add 3½ tablespoons of cold water.
- Process until the mixture shapes itself into a ball, then turn it out on to a floured board.
- Knead the dough until smooth.
- Roll the pastry out until it is 1-inch (2½ cm) wider than the pie dish.
- Trim the overhanging pastry edge, brush it with beaten egg and press it on to the rim of the pie dish.
- Cut a cross in the middle of the pastry lid so the pie funnel can poke through there.
- Brush beaten egg all over the top, then chill the pie for 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
- Brush a little more egg over the pastry and bake for half an hour or until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is hot.
- If the pie gets too brown before the filling is hot enough, you can cover it with foil.