Corned Beef & Potato Pie

Corned Beef & Potato Pie

A rich & hearty pie packed full of flavour.  Very easy to make with store cupboard ingredients suitable for quickly rustling up for surprise guests!  Delicious!!

Serves 6

Prep time:  20 minutes

Cooking time: 50-60 minutes

Ingredients

15g butter

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 celery sticks, trimmed & finely diced

2 medium carrots, peeled & finely diced

300g potatoes, peeled & finely diced

2 tbsp tomato ketchup

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp marmite

1 x 340g can of corned beef

freshly ground black pepper

1 x ready prepared short-crust pastry

1 x ready prepared puff pastry

1 free-range egg

Method

1.    For the filling, melt the butter with the oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Add the onion, celery, carrots and potatoes. Cook on a low heat for about 15 minutes until the vegetables are softened, stirring regularly. The carrots should have a little bite.

2.    Add the ketchup, marmite, Worcestershire sauce and stir into the vegetables for a few seconds before adding the corned beef. Break the beef into chunky pieces with a wooden spoon and mix with the vegetables.

3.    Season with pepper and remove from the heat. Leave to cool for about 20 minutes.

4.    Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C Fan/Gas mark 5.

5.    Roll out the short crust pastry onto a well-floured work surface and use it to line a 23cm pie dish. Leave any excess pastry overhanging the edge. Brush the pastry edge lightly with the egg.

6.    Empty the filling into the pastry base and spread it out evenly. Flour the surface once more and roll out the puff pastry. Lift the rolled pastry over the rolling pin and place gently over the filling. Press the edges firmly together then trim neatly. Seal the edge with a fork.

7.    Brush the top of the pastry with the remaining beaten egg, cut a cross in the centre of the pie and place onto a baking tray. Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until the pastry is golden-brown and the filling is piping hot.

Chicken & Chorizo Pie

Chicken & Chorizo Pie

One of my all-time favourites, a truly delicious & flavoursome pie – comfort food at its best!

Serves 4-6

Prep time:  15 minutes (plus cooling time)

Cooking time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

50g butter

1 onion, peeled & finely chopped

1 garlic clove, peeled & finely chopped

250g chestnut mushrooms, halved

6 skinless & boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite sized pieces

200g chorizo, sliced and halved

50g plain flour

200ml chicken stock

150ml white wine

150ml double cream

Small handful fresh parsley, chopped

Sea salt & freshly ground pepper

375g ready-rolled short crust pastry

375g ready rolled puff pastry

1 egg beaten

To serve

Seasonal vegetables

Method

1.    For the filling, melt the butter in a large frying pan on a medium heat.  Add the onion, garlic and mushrooms – fry for 5 minutes until lightly browned.

2.    Season the chicken and add to the pan with the chorizo and cook everything for 5 minutes, turning occasionally.

3.    Stir in the flour to the chicken mixture then gradually add the stock and bring to a simmer.  Cook for 2 minutes until the sauce is smooth and thick then pour in the wine and cream.  Bring to the boil and reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes.  Season generously and sprinkle with parsley.  Remove from the heat, cover and allow to cool.

4.    Preheat the oven to 190°C/Fan assisted 170°C/Gas mark 5.

5.    Roll out the short crust pastry to 4mm thick and line a 1.2 litre pie dish, leave the excess pastry hanging over the edge.  Spoon the cooled chicken mixture into the dish and brush the edge of the pastry with the beaten egg.

6.    Roll out the puff pastry to 4mm thick and large enough to cover the pie.  Place the pastry over the pie and press the edges firmly together to seal and trim neatly.  Brush the top of the pastry with the beaten egg.  Decorate with trimmings and brush with more egg to glaze.  

7.    Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes until the pastry has puffed and is golden brown.  Serve with seasonal vegetables.  Enjoy!

Chicken & Mr. Crumb Stuffing Picnic Pies

Chicken & Mr. Crumb Stuffing Picnic Pies

What better way to kick the picnic season off than with these absolutely delicious pies!  Easy to make and perfect for food on the go.  Definitely one to try!

Serves 8

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time:  40 minutes

Ingredients

1-2 chicken breasts

Freshly ground salt & Pepper

½ tsp ground mace

Few dots of butter

Little flour for dusting

1 x pack ready made short crust pastry

1 x 225g pack of Mr. Crumb Sage & Onion Stuffing

1 egg, beaten

Preparation method

1.    Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C Fan/Gas mark 6.

2.    Cut the chicken breasts into 1 cm cubes, place in a bowl season with salt, pepper and mace.  Set aside.

3.    Grease 8 holes of the muffin tray with the butter.  Roll out two thirds of the pastry on a lightly floured surface and stamp out 12 x 10cm circles (you may need to re-roll trimmings). Press a circle into each hole to line.

4.    Add a heaped teaspoon of Mr Crumb Stuffing into each pie and press, cover with a layer of chicken and top with another layer of Mr Crumb stuffing, packing in firmly and shaping to a dome in the middle.

5.    Roll out the remaining pastry and stamp out 12 x 7cm circles. Brush with a little egg and add a top to each pie, egg-side down to stick, carefully pressing pastry edges together to seal. Brush with more egg (don’t throw away leftover egg).

6.   Bake for 30 minutes until golden then carefully remove the pies from the tin.  Sit on a parchment lined baking tray, brush all around the sides with more egg and put back in the oven for 8 minutes.  Cool completely, enjoy!

·         Cool the Picnic Pies to chill temperatures (less than 4oC) within 90 minutes after cooking, keep refrigerated and use within 24hours.

Mr. Crumb is an artisan food producer located in the small rural village of Finea, County Westmeath in Irelands luscious green lakelands. A family run business, started back in 1996 and famous for their internationally award winning stuffing. The stuffings are cooked by hand in small batches using Irish butter from grass fed cows.

www.mrcrumb.ie they are available in Sainsburys, Morrisons and Asda

Traditional Fish Pie

Traditional Fish Pie

The wonderful combination of fish makes this pie delicious… you can make this fish pie the day before as it tastes even better the next day!

Serves 6

Prep time:  30 minutes

Cooking time: 1 ½ hours

Ingredients

For the potato topping

1.25 kg potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 large knob of butter

4 tbsp double cream

3 egg yolks

Freshly ground salt & pepper

The filling

250g un-dyed smoked haddock, with skin on

900ml pint milk

1 fresh rosemary sprig

1 onion, peeled & sliced

250g salmon fillet

250g cod fillet

250g cooked king prawns, peeled

3 tbsp capers, drained & rinsed

3 hard boiled eggs, shelled & quartered

For the sauce

125g butter, diced

100g plain flour

550ml whipping cream

4 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

3 tbsp lemon juice

Freshly ground salt & pepper

Method

1.   Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6.

2.  For the potato topping, place the potatoes into a large pan of cold salted water and bring to the boil.  Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are very soft.  Drain and set aside to dry.  Mash the potatoes and beat in the butter, cream and egg yolks and season, set aside.

3.  For the filling, place the haddock into a pan filled with 600ml of the milk, rosemary and onion.  Bring the milk to a simmer and poach the haddock for 3-5 minutes.  Remove from the milk with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool.  Repeat this process by poaching the salmon and then the cod in the same milk.  When the fish is cool, remove the skin and flake the flesh into large chunks.  Sieve the poaching milk into a jug and add the rest of the milk, set aside.

4.  For the sauce, melt the butter in a large saucepan, add the flour and cook for 2 minutes to make a roux.  Pour in the milk from the jug and beat until you have a very thick sauce.  Beat in the cream and then remove from the heat.  Stir in the parsley, lemon juice and season to taste.

5.  Place the fish and prawns into a 2 litre pint baking dish.  Pour any remaining fish juices into the sauce and mix well.  Gently fold in the capers and chopped eggs and pour the sauce over the fish.  Cover with the mash and place in the oven to bake for 40-45 minutes or until the mash is golden brown.  Enjoy! 

* Cutlery -  Sophie Conran Rivelin for Arthur Price

Shepherd’s Pie made with 10 Hour Slow-Cooked Lamb Shank

Shepherd’s Pie made with 10 Hour Slow-Cooked Lamb Shank

This has to be the best Shepherd’s Pie I have ever tasted; it is definitely worth every minute of the cooking time required.  Comfort food at its best!

Serves 4

Prep time:  20 minutes

Cooking time:  1 hour 15 minutes (plus cooking lamb shanks for 10 hours)

Ingredients

For the lamb shanks:

2 tbsp olive oil

2 large lamb shanks

1 onion, peeled & quartered

2 garlic cloves, peeled & crushed

2 celery sticks, chopped

2 sprigs of rosemary

1 bay leaf

500ml water

For the pie:

2 tbsp olive oil

2 large onions, peeled & chopped

2 large carrots, diced

1 celery stalk, finely sliced

150g mushrooms, sliced

Sea salt & freshly ground pepper

25g butter

2 tbsp plain flour

300ml lamb stock from the shanks

150g frozen peas

150ml red wine

900g floury potatoes, peeled

100g butter, plus extra for cooking

100ml milk

Method

1.  The night before, preheat the oven to 130°C/110°C Fan/Gas mark ½/250°F.

2.  In a large frying pan heat the olive oil and add the shanks.  Brown them quickly all over, turning for a few minutes then remove.

3.  Place the shanks into a casserole pot with the onion, garlic, celery, rosemary, thyme, bay leaf and cover with water.  Put in the oven overnight for 10 hours or until falling off the bone.

4.  The next day, remove the shanks to cool, strain the liquid (you will use this later) and set aside, dispose of the contents of the sieve.  When the shanks are cool remove the soft meat and dice.

5.  In a large frying pan add the olive oil and gently fry the onions, carrots and celery for 7 minutes until softened.  Now add the mushrooms, season well and fry for a further 2-3 minutes.

6.  Add the butter and allow it to melt and sprinkle over the flour and stir through for 1 minute.  Reduce the heat and gradually stir in the stock and peas, continuing to stir.  Once the sauce has started to thicken slowly stir through the red wine and chopped lamb.  Gently simmer for 5 minutes and season well.  Transfer the mixture to an ovenproof baking dish.

7.  Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/350°F/Gas mark 4.

8.  Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender.  When cooked drain and mash with a potato ricer or masher.  Add the milk, butter and season well and mix through until there are no lumps.  Top the baking dish with the mashed potato and speckle with some butter.  Bake the pie in the oven for 45-55 minutes, or until it is golden.

9.  Serve on warmed plates, enjoy!

* Cutlery -  Sophie Conran Rivelin for Arthur Price

Chicken, Ham & Leek Pie

Chicken, Ham & Leek Pie

An absolutely delicious and succulent chicken & ham pie - when you need something warm and comforting after a long day, there’s nothing like a proper British pie!

Serves 4-6

Prep time:   15 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour

Ingredients

450ml chicken stock

3 chicken breasts, skinned

75g butter

2 leeks, trimmed and cut into 1cm slices

2 garlic cloves, crushed

50g plain flour

200ml milk

2-3 tbsp white wine

150ml double cream

150g piece thickly carved ham, cut into 2cm chunks

sea salt flakes

freshly ground black pepper

500g pre-prepared short crust pastry

1 free-range egg, beaten, to glaze

Method

1.   Place the chicken stock into a lidded saucepan, add the chicken breasts and bring to a low simmer.  Cover with the lid and simmer for 10 minutes, remove the chicken and place on a plate.  Pour the stock into a jug and set aside.

2.   Melt 25g of the butter in a large saucepan over a low heat, add the leeks and fry gently for two minutes, stir occasionally until softened. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute and then add the remaining butter and stir in the flour as soon as the butter has melted. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.

3.   Gradually pour the milk into the pan, just a little at a time, stirring well between each pour.  Slowly add 250ml of the reserved stock and the wine, stirring until the sauce is smooth and thickened slightly. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 minutes.

4.  Season the mixture, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream. Pour into a large bowl and cover the surface of the sauce with cling film to prevent a skin forming. Set aside to cool.

5.  Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C Fan/Gas Mark 6. Put a baking tray in the oven to heat.

Portion off 250g of pastry for the lid and roll the remaining pastry out on a lightly floured surface, turning the pastry frequently until around 5mm/¼in thick and 4cm/1½in larger than the 23cm/9inch pie dish. Lift the pastry over the rolling pin and place it gently into the pie dish. Press the pastry firmly up the sides, making sure there are no air bubbles. Leave the excess pastry overhanging the sides.

6.  Cut the chicken breasts into 3cm/1¼in pieces. Stir the chicken, ham and leeks into the cooled sauce. Pour the chicken filling into the pie dish. Brush the rim of the dish with beaten egg. Roll out the reserved pastry for the lid.

7.  Cover the pie with the pastry lid and press the edges together firmly to seal. Trim any excess pastry.

8.  Make a small hole in the centre of the pie with the tip of a knife. Glaze the top of the pie with beaten egg and place in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.

9.  Bake on the preheated tray in the centre of the oven for 35-40 minutes or until the pie is golden-brown all over and the filling is piping hot, enjoy!

Three Cheese, Caramelised Onion & Potato Pie

Three Cheese, Caramelised Onion & Potato Pie

This stunning cheese pie is perfect for a mid-week meal and tastes absolutely scrumptious, pure comfort food at its best!

Serves 4-6

Prep time:   20-30 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

30g butter

2 medium onions, peeled, thinly sliced

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp caster sugar

950g potatoes, peeled, thinly sliced

140g crème fraîche

4 tbsp double cream

100g mature cheddar, grated

100g Stilton, crumbled

100g Gruyère, grated

freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp grated nutmeg

500g pre-prepared puff pastry

1 free-range egg, beaten, to glaze

Method

1.   In a large frying pan heat the butter and add the onions, salt and sugar, fry for 5-6 minutes until the onions begin to caramelize.  Remove from the pan and set aside.

2.  Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in a large pan of salted boiling water for 8 minutes, drain and then set aside.

3.  Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C Fan/Gas Mark 7.

4.  Mix the crème fraîche, cream and cheddar in a small bowl. Mix together the Stilton and Gruyère in a separate bowl.

5.  Layer one quarter of the potatoes, a third of the onions and a third of the Stilton/Gruyère mixture in the bottom of a large pie dish. Sprinkle with a little freshly ground black pepper and grated nutmeg.

6.  Repeat, working from the outside of the pie dish into the middle to achieve a domed effect, seasoning as you go, then pour over half the cream/cheddar mixture. Repeat this step then cover the filling with the remaining potato, ensuring none of the cream mixture is visible.

7.  Roll out the pastry so it is larger than the pie dish.  Cut strips from the side of the pastry.  Brush the rim of the pie dish with egg wash and place the strips around the rim of the pie dish and cover with egg wash.  Cover the pie with the pastry, using a folk press the edges of the pie.  Use any off-cuts of pastry to decorate the pie then brush the top with the remaining egg wash. Cut a small cross in the top of the pie to let the steam escape.

8.  Place the pie in the oven and cook for 30 minutes then reduce the oven to 180°C/160°C/Gas 4 and bake the pie for another 30 minutes or until golden-brown, enjoy!

Steak, Ale & Stilton Pie

Steak, Ale & Stilton Pie

This is a wonderfully delicious pie full of rich flavours- the perfect pie for chilly weather!

Serves 4-6

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 2 hours

Ingredients

For the pie filling

3-4tbsp olive oil

200g smoked streaky bacon rashers, cut into 1cm strips

2 medium onions, peeled, halved & sliced

2 garlic cloves, peeled & finely chopped

3tbsp plain flour

1.5kg good quality stewing steak, cut into 2.5cm cubes

450ml bottle of real ale (I used Newcastle Brown Ale)

500ml good beef stock

2tbsp tomato puree

1tbsp creamed horseradish sauce (optional)

3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves stripped from stalks & finely chopped

2 bay leaves

2 tbsp cornflour

150g stilton, crumbled

For the pie

325g ready-made short crust pastry

325g ready-made puff pastry

1 egg, beaten to glaze

To Serve

Mashed potato

Seasonal Vegetables

Method

1.  Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large non-stick frying pan.  Fry the bacon and onions until pale golden in colour and then add the garlic and fry for a further 2 minutes, stirring regularly.  Set aside using a slotted spoon.

2.  Season the steak with salt and pepper and dredge with flour. Now heat 1-2 tbsp of oil to the frying pan and add the steak, you may have to do this in batches.  Fry the meat until it is well browned all over.  Add more oil if necessary.  Set aside.

3.  Deglaze the frying pan with half of the ale.  Bring the ale to the boil and stir hard to remove all the sediment from the base of the pan.  Transfer the steak and bacon to the frying pan then add the remaining ale, stock, tomato puree, horseradish and herbs to the dish.  Bring to the boil and then cover, simmer for 1 ½ hour or until the meat is very tender.  Mix the corn flour with 2tbsp of cold water and add to the pan.  Continue to simmer uncovered for a further 5 minutes or until the juices are thick.  Season to taste and allow to cool.

4.  In the meantime preheat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6.   Remove the bay leaves and then strain the liquid from the meat but add some of the gravy to suit your taste.  Set aside the rest of the gravy to serve with the pie.

5.  Roll out the short crust pastry to 4mm thick and line a 1.2 litre pie dish, leave the excess pastry hanging over the edge.   Spoon the cooled beef mixture into the dish and sprinkle over the stilton cheese, brush the edge of the pastry with the beaten egg.

6.    Roll out the puff pastry to 4mm thick and large enough to cover the pie.  Place the pastry over the pie and press the edges firmly together to seal and trim neatly.  Brush the top of the pastry with the beaten egg.  Decorate with trimmings and brush with more egg to glaze.  Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes until the pastry has puffed and is golden brown.  Serve with mash, seasonal vegetables and the remaining gravy.  Enjoy!