Masterclass: Make Your Home Cooking Easier

350g (12oz) wild mushrooms (such as chanterelle, cep, trompette, girolle or oyster)

150ml (5fl oz) white wine

150ml (5fl oz) double cream

4 sprigs of tarragon, leaves only

Salt and black pepper

ONE 20 X 30CM (8 X 12IN) PIE DISH OR OVENPROOF DISH

1. Place the chicken in a large saucepan with half the onions and the bay leaf. Season with a little salt and pepper and cover with water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

2. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside to cool. Return the pan to the hob and cook the stock on a rapid boil for a further 30 minutes or until it has reduced by half. Meanwhile, remove the meat from the chicken legs, thighs and carcass, then place in the pie dish.

3. Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F), Gas 7. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large frying pan, add the remaining onions and cook over a low–medium heat, without browning, for about 5 minutes or until softened, then add the flour. Turn up the heat then add the mushrooms and cook for a further 3–4 minutes.

4. Strain the stock, then add to the mushrooms and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the wine and cream, then bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Season, then pour it over the chicken and sprinkle tarragon leaves over the top.

5. Cut out a disc of pastry 2cm (¾ in) wider all round than the pie dish. Brush the edges of the dish with beaten egg and lay the pastry on top, crimping the edges with a fork or your fingertips. Trim away any excess pastry and brush the top of the pie with the remaining egg. Place on a baking tray and bake for 30–35 minutes or until the pastry is crisp and golden. Then remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving with new potatoes and French beans.

BEEF SHIN AND CARROT PIES (#ulink_6839679d-755a-51c3-a2c7-36516a55f43a)

This pie is best made with Hereford beef, a breed that originated in the UK but is now farmed everywhere from Russia to South America. The cows have a deep red coat and fantastic horns, and their meat is highly prized. We use Hereford beef in the restaurant for our steaks, as the meat has an excellent grain. If you can’t find it, any breed will do, as it’s the long slow cooking that really gives this pie its flavour – the longer you cook it for, the better it will taste. I suggest serving the pie with French beans or shallots.

SERVES 4

800g (1¾lb) trimmed beef shin or flank, cut into 3cm (1¼ in) dice

2 tbsp plain flour

4–5 tbsp olive oil

30g (1¼oz) butter

1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed

1 tbsp tomato purée

200ml (7fl oz) Guinness

500ml (18fl oz) beef stock

1 tsp chopped thyme leaves

1 bay leaf 300g (11oz) small Chantenay carrots, trimmed and kept whole

Salt and black pepper

FOR THE PASTRY

225g (8oz) self-raising flour, sifted, plus extra for dusting

1 tsp salt

90g (3¼oz) shredded beef suet

60g (2½oz) lard or butter, chilled and grated

1 egg, beaten

FOUR 500ML (18FL OZ) PIE DISHES

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas 6. Lightly dust the meat with flour, salt and pepper. Heat 1–2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan or saucepan, add the meat in batches, using more of the oil if needed, and seal over a high heat for 1–2 minutes or until nicely browned. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

2. Melt the butter in the pan, add the onion and garlic and fry for 2–3 minutes or until browned, then stir in the tomato purée. Slowly add the beer and stock, stirring constantly to prevent lumps forming in the cooking liquid. Add the thyme, bay leaf and browned beef, bring back up to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover with a lid and simmer gently for 2 hours or until the meat is tender.

3. After 90 minutes add the carrots and continue to cook for 30 minutes. Place in the pie dishes and leave to cool.

4. To make the pastry, mix the flour and salt with the suet and grated lard or butter in a large bowl. Mix in 150–175ml of water and knead for 1 minute or until you have a smooth dough.

5. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry to about 7mm (

/3 in) thick and cut out 4 discs about 2cm (¾ in) wider all the way round than the pie dishes. Brush the edges of the dishes with a little beaten egg and lay the pastry on top, crimping the edges using a fork or with your fingers and trimming away any excess pastry, then brush the top of the pies with the remaining beaten egg.

6. Bake in the oven for 40–50 minutes or until golden, then serve with buttered mashed potato and French beans.

SALMON AND MUSSEL PIE (#ulink_7782fe2b-807f-52dc-aa55-9fa61ff78e69)

I tend to use mash on this seafood pie, because puff pastry doesn’t always cook properly. If you do prefer pastry though, you can substitute it, but don’t cheat and do that rubbish dry dustbin lid plonked on the top, I hate that! A pie should have the filling and top cooked all together, as it tastes so much better when made as a whole. You can also leave out the capers and gherkins if you want.

SERVES 4

1–2 tbsp olive oil

500g (1lb 2oz) salmon fillet, pin bones and skin removed

1kg (2lb 3oz) mussels, cooked and removed from their shells

50g (2oz) gherkins, drained and chopped

25g (1oz) capers, drained

4 tsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

4 tsp chopped dill