Free Range Chicken, Pie, Suffolk Cider, Vegetables, Cream, Homemade Pastry!

Well it was Pie Week and everyone was making pies left right and centre on Twitter and Facebook.. PIES everywhere! Delicious, tasty and amazing looking, not surprised I was craving it by mid-week…

I knocked up this recipe from the Pieminister book ” A Pie for all Seasons“, the Pie daddy of books among others I’m sure at the moment, but these pies never fail to impress.

I was lucky enough to win a box of pies from Pieministerand received over 6 delicious,  variety of pies of which I chose the flavours. These included; The Matador, chorizo, rich gravy. Heidi Pie; laced with goats cheese and sweet potato and the ULTIMATE in my eyes simple yet satisfying MOO pie (beef, ale, rich gravy and herbs).

I chose to make the Free Ranger Chicken Pie which included chicken, veggies, cider (which instantly attracted me to make it) with a creamy based, fragrant sauce to go in the homemade pastry crusted pie. YES, I made my own rough puff and short crust pastry. AMAZING!

Not bad for a first time attempt, I know I haven’t delved into pastry making as much as I would love to but it has started the ball rolling..

This pie involved slow cooking in simmering water, carrots, leeks, celery, onion, garlic bulbs , tarragon, salt and chicken to obtain a fresh chicken stock.

Once cooked the chicken is set aside, the stock is strained and then boiled to reduce by half so its more concentrated and flavourful.

The onions are diced and added to a pan of butter, some suffolk cider, flour, the chicken stock, cream and brought to a gentle simmer. A hit of fresh tarragon is added, with the fresh mushy garlic bulbs added, chives and the shredded chicken. This mixture is left to cool, so you have time to make the short crust pastry to go at the bottom of the pie dish and the rough puff for the top of the pie.

This time while making my pastry, I left it time to chill and relax and rolled it out thinner so you get an even cook and less chance of a soggy bottom or uncooked pastry.The pie once formed is laid to rest in an oven to cook slowly till golden and bubbly inside..

I served this up with no mash potato but simply steamed broccoli and lashings of gravy! Finished within ten minutes…

Next stop will be making a hearty ale and beef pie, maybe with some beef shin or venturing into the world of ox cheeks….