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Chicken Fricassee Filling

• 4 chicken legs
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 4 pieces
• 2 onions, peeled and quartered
• 2 sticks of celery – each cut into 4 pieces
• 1 chicken stock cube
• few sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 medium leek, split, washed and chopped
• 25g butter
• 25g flour
• 250ml of chicken cooking liquor
• 1 tablespoon crème fraiche

Place the chicken legs in a large saucepan and add the carrots, onions, celery and stock cube. Cover with water and bring to the boil. Simmer gently until the legs are fork tender – about an hour.

Drain off the liquid and measure 250ml – freeze or use the rest for soup. Keep the vegetables.

Heat the butter in a pan and add the leeks. Cook until soft on a medium heat. Add the flour and mix well. Stir in the stock and cook until thickened.

Shred the chicken off the bone and add to the sauce with the vegetables and the crème fraiche.

Check seasoning and cool.

Savoury Shortcrust Pastry

• 250g plain flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 75g cold butter
• 1 whole egg
• about 2 tablespoons cold water

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Process or rub the flour and butter together until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add the salt and mix well. Mix in the egg and enough cold water to form a dough.

Wrap in cling and chill for 15 minutes.

Butter 6 ramekins, individual pie dishes or pie rings.

Divide the pastry into 3 pieces and divide 2 of the pieces into 3 each. Keep the remaining third wrapped.

Roll each piece intoÌý a round and then roll thinly and press into the moulds with a little overhang. Alternatively line one big pie dish with the pastry.

Line with tin foil and fill with baking beans.

Bake at 180oc for 12 minutes. Cool.

Spoon in the chicken mixture and brush the edges with egg yolk.

Divide the remaining pastry in 6 and roll out each one to fit over the top, crimping the edges. Trim the edges and brush with egg yolk on top.

Bake at 180oc for 25 minutes.

Serve hot with mash and the beetroot pickle.

Shredded Beetroot Pickle

• 2 large beetroot, peeled and coarsely shredded
• 2 red onions, peeled and finely sliced
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 50ml red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• salt and fresh black pepper to taste

Fry the onions in the oil until soft and starting to caramelize.

Add the mustard seeds and turmeric and cook for 30 seconds.

Add the wine and honey and season well.

Mix into the beetroot and leave for a couple of hours before serving.

Keeps for up to a week in the fridge.