Mary Berry's Chicken and Bacon Lattice Pie

My sister made this for us for dinner just before we went to the Isle of Wight. It was absolutely delicious, a really homey comforting dish and definitely one I will have to try for myself.

Chicken and Bacon Lattice Pie (from BBC Food)
(Serves 6)

6 skinless chicken legs (thigh and drumstick)
4 celery sticks, diced
4 bay leaves, roughly sliced
200ml dry white wine
300ml chicken stock
250g smoked back bacon (about 7 rashers), cut into small pieces
1 large onion, roughly chopped
50g butter
60g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
2 tbsp crème fraîche
1 tbsp grainy mustard
2 x 375g packets ready-rolled, all-butter puff pastry
1 egg, beaten
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 160C.

Put the chicken legs, celery and bay leaves into a large ovenproof saucepan, pour over the wine and stock and season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil over a medium-high heat, cover with a lid and transfer to the oven for 30–40 mins, or until the chicken legs are cooked and tender. Set aside to cool.

Once cool, remove the meat from the chicken bones. Break the meat into bite-sized pieces before transferring to a bowl. Strain the stock, reserving the celery and discarding the bay leaves, and measure out the liquid. You should have about 750ml; if not, make up to this amount with a little extra stock or white wine.

Heat a large frying pan and fry the bacon pieces over a medium-high heat for 3 mins. Add the onion, cover with a lid and fry for a further 10 mins until the onion is softened. Add the butter, stir until melted, and then sprinkle in the flour to make a roux. Pour the reserved liquid into the roux a little at a time, whisking as you add, and stir over a high heat until thickened to a smooth sauce consistency.

Add a little salt and pepper, the reserved celery, crème fraiche and mustard and mix to combine before adding the chicken. Spoon the filling into an ovenproof pie dish and level the top. Leave until cool and then chill, covered, in the fridge for 30 mins.

Meanwhile, prepare the pastry for the pie. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out each of the pastry sheets to about 3mm thick. Cut each piece into long, thick ribbons, about 3cm wide. You will need to make enough to cover the top of the dish, about 16 in total. Weave the ribbons together on a piece of baking paper, until you have a pastry top that is large enough to cover your pie. Chill in the fridge for 15 mins to firm up or, if time allows, freeze until solid.

Take the filling out of the fridge and brush the edges of the dish with a little beaten egg. Carefully slide the pastry lattice from the baking paper and lay on top of the chilled filling. Trim the excess pastry around the rim and lightly press to seal.

Increase the oven temperature to 200C. Brush the pastry with the remaining beaten egg and bake for 30 mins until the pastry is golden and cooked through, and the chicken is bubbling. Serve.

Old Bay Chicken with Creamy Veg Pasta

I made this recipe way back in July. It was a spur of the moment decision because it used up all the ingredients in my fridge before going on holiday. It was very tasty and relatively simple to make.

Old Bay Chicken with Creamy Veg Pasta
(Serves 4)

4 chicken breasts
4 tbsp Old Bay Seasoning
250g fettuccine
2 tbsp butter
1 small carrot, chopped into small pieces
1 rib celery, chopped into small pieces
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
salt and pepper
2 tbsp plain flour
250ml chicken stock
250ml milk
1/2 tsp dried parsley

Sprinkle the old bay seasoning over the chicken breasts. Place the chicken on a baking sheet and cook in the oven for about 20-30 mins.

Break the pasta into smaller pieces. Bring a pan of water to the boil, add the pasta and cook according to packet instructions until just al dente. Drain then set aside.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat then add the carrot, celery, and onion. Season with salt and pepper then fry for about 5-7 mins, until starting to soften. Sprinkle in the flour, cook, stirring for 1 min.

Slowly pour in chicken stok and milk while stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Turn the heat up to medium-high until starting to boil then turn heat back down to medium, add the parsley and a little more salt and pepper then cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and bubbly, 5 mins.

Add the pasta to the sauce then stir to combine and cook for 2 more mins. Remove from heat. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.

Crab Macaroni Cheese

I love Macaroni Cheese and making variations to the recipe. This one I added crab, fennel and herbs to the basic recipe and it was delicious. I also sliced a tomato and put that over the top before sticking it under the grill. Yum!

Crab Macaroni Cheese
(Serves 4)

250g macaroni
1 tbsp oil
4 tbsp butter
3 celery stalks with leafy tops, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 small fennel bulb, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp chopped thyme leaves
zest 1/2 lemon
pepper
2 tins white crab meat
1 tbsp Old Bay seasoning
3 tbsp plain flour
500ml milk
grated nutmeg
1 tsp Dijon mustard
50g Cheddar cheese, grated
50g Gruyere cheese, grated
handful bread crumbs
handful parsley, finely chopped
50g parmesan grated

Bring a saucepan of water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook for 3 to 4 mins, drain well.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp of butter over a medium t heat. Add the celery, onion, fennel, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Cook for about 6 to 8 mins. Add the crabmeat to the vegetables and season liberally with Old Bay seasoning. Stir to combine, then remove from the heat.

In a saucepan, melt 3 tbsp butter and whisk in the flour. Cook for 1 min, then whisk in the milk, a little at a time, and bring to a boil. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and cook for a few mins, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Add the mustard and the cheddar and gruyere cheese and stir until the cheese has melted. Add the pasta, vegetables and crab to the sauce and transfer the mixture to a large casserole dish.

Preheat the grill. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs, parsley and parmesan over the pasta mixture and pop under the grill for 5-10 mins until golden on top.

Jambalaya

I have been wanting to make jambalaya for ages but it kept getting knocked of my meals plans in favour of other things. However, I am so glad I finally made it, it was delicious. You could pretty much add any meat to this, I think chicken would work well, but I liked the spiciness of the chorizo.

Jambalaya (from Amazing Grains by Ghillie James)
(Serves 4-6)

2 tbsp oil
175g cooking chorizo, cut into chunks
275g ham, cut into chunks
1 onion, peeled
5 whole cloves
2 sicks celery, finely sliced
1/2 heaped tsp dried oregano
1 tsp thyme leaves
1/2 green pepper and 1/2 red pepper, cut into chunks
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2-3 pinches cayenne pepper
350g long grain rice
1 1/2 tbsp tomato puree
2 bay leaves
125ml white wine
1 400g tin chopped tomatoes
700ml chicken stock
200g cooked, peeled prawns
handful chopped parsley

Heat half the oil in a large saucepan or frying pan and add the chunks of chorizo and brown for 3-4 mins over a high heat. Add the ham and fry for a further 2 mins. Transfer to a plate.

Cut the onion into quarters. Keep one quarter with the end intact so that it doesn't break up. Use this quarter as a pin cushion for the cloves. Chop the remainder of the onion.

Add the remaining oil to the pan and fry the chopped and clove spiked onion, celery oregano and thyme for 6 mins or until soft. Add the peppers and fry for 2 mins before adding the garlic, cayenne pepper and rice. Toss over the heat then add the tomato puree and stir. Add the bay leaves, pour in the wine and simmer until the wine has evaporated, stirring over the heat.

Add the tinned tomatoes and stock, then return the ham and sausage to the pan. Stir, bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for about 15 mins or until half the liquid has evaporated and the rice is cooked. Add the prawns and stir, cook for 2 mins. turn off the heat, take out the clove spiked onion and the bay leaves and discard. Rest the rice for 5 mins, stir in the parsley and serve.

Sausage and Bean Casserole

This is a really simple easy to make but very flavourful sausage casserole, especially if you use good quality sausages. I had some nice plump Northumberland Sausages from a farm shop.

Sausage and Bean Casserole (from Good Food Magazine October 2011)
(Serves 4)

1 tbsp vegetable oil
8 pork sausages
2 celery sticks, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 tbsp tomato purée
400g can butter beans
400g can baked beans in tomato sauce
½ small bunch thyme
200ml hot chicken or vegetable stock
2 slices white bread, whizzed to crumbs

Heat half the oil in a large casserole dish, then brown the sausages all over. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the remaining oil, tip the veg into the dish and fry for 10 mins. Stir in the tomato purée and cook for 1 min more.

Heat oven to 200C. Return the sausages to the pan with the beans, thyme and some seasoning, then pour in the stock and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat, sprinkle over the breadcrumbs, then bake in the oven for 25-30 mins until the crumbs are golden and the stew is bubbling.

Corn Dog Casserole

I'm trying to find some easy options for lunch, things I can just pull out of the freezer, defrost and have ready to eat at work. Remember the Sandwich Pies? Just like that and I thought this would be perfect as the binding of the cornbread would help hold everything together. I tried a sneak peek on Sunday morning and it was yummy. I used Jiffy cornbread mix which is tough to get in the UK, maybe I should suggest to Tesco to add it to their American range instead of Lucky Charms which just made kids hyper! I also have plans for fishy sandwich pies, burritos and another cornbread sandwich type thing. Then I have no excuse!

Corn Dog Casserole (adapted from Taste of Home)
(Serves 4-6)

2 celery sticked, halved and sliced

2 tbsp butter

3 spring onions, sliced

4 hot dogs

1 eggs

60ml milk

2 tsp Italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 8 oz packet corn bread/muffin mix

100g cheddar cheese, grated

In a small frying pan, sauté the celery in butter for 5 mins. Add the onions; sauté for 5 mins longer or until the vegetables are tender. Place in a large bowl and set aside.

Preheat oven to 200°C. Cut the hot dogs lengthwise into quarters, then cut into thirds. In the same frying pan, sauté the hot dogs for 5 mins or until lightly browned, add to vegetables. Set aside ¼ of the mixture

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, Italian seasoning and pepper. Add the larger chunk of the hot dog mixture. Stir in the corn bread mix. Add ¾ of the cheese. Spread into a shallow 3l baking dish. Top with the reserved hot dog mixture and remaining cheese.

Bake, uncovered for 30 mins or until golden brown. 

Baked Orzo with Mozzarella and Oregano

This was a lovely vegetarian dish. I really love Ottolenghi's recipes. It did however wreck my pan as it all stuck to the bottom of my pan! This is chock full of vegetables, especially a couple of autumn staples like carrots and celery.

Baked Orzo with Mozzarella and Oregano (from Plenty More - Ottolenghi)
(Serves 4)

1 large aubergine, cut into 2cm dice
salt and pepper
100ml olive oil
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1.5cm dice
3 celery stalks, cut into 1.5cm dice
1 medium onion, peeled and finely diced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
250g orzo pasta, rinsed
1 tsp tomato paste
380ml vegetable stock
3 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped (or 1½ tbsp picked thyme leaves)
Grated zest of 1 lemon
120g hard mozzarella, cut into 1cm dice
40g parmesan, grated
3 medium tomatoes, cut into 1cm-thick slices
1 tsp dried oregano

Heat the oven to 180C. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the aubergine and cook for eight minutes on medium to high heat until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Add the carrot and celery, fry for eight minutes, and transfer to kitchen paper. Lower the heat to medium, add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for five minutes. Stir in the orzo and tomato paste, and cook for two minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and pour in the stock, fresh oregano and lemon zest. Add the cooked veg, mozzarella, parmesan, a teaspoon of salt and half a teaspoon of pepper. Mix well and transfer to a 21cm x 27cm ovenproof dish. Arrange the tomatoes on top, sprinkle with dried oregano and season.

Bake for 40 minutes, until all the liquid has been absorbed and the pasta is cooked. Remove, leave to settle for five minutes and serve hot.

Pig's Cheeks with Barley and Wholegrain Mustard Lentils

Another old fashioned comfort food dish. Well the meat is old fashioned, the barley and lentils less so. It really was delicious and a bit of a change from serving slow cooked cuts with mash and veg.

Pig's Cheeks with Barley and Wholegrain Mustard Lentils

(Serves 4)

12 pig's cheeks

seasoned plain flour

1 tbsp oil

100ml white wine

275ml beef or chicken stock

200g pearl barley

100ml olive oil

salt and pepper

30g butter

225g puy lentils

1 bay leaf

100ml double cream

2 1/2 tbsp wholegrain mustard

70ml lemon juice

2 onions, finely chopped

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tbsp chopped parsley

grated zest 1/2 lemon

Flour the pig's cheeks well. Heat the oil I'm a frying pan over a medium high heat and fry the cheeks until coloured. Add the wine and 250ml stock. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to very low, cover and cook gently for about 2 hours. If the cheeks start to dry out add a bit more liquid.

Bring an of water to the boil and add the barley, cook according to packet instructions. Drain, stir in 80ml oil, salt and pepper, and 2 tbsp lemon juice while the barley is still warm.

Put the remaining olive oil and half the butter into a saucepan over a medium heat and gently sauté the remaining onion and celery until soft but not coloured. Add the lentils, bay leaf and 450ml water and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for 20 mins or until tender. Drain and remove the bay leaf.

Put the cream in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the mustard, the remaining lemon juice and seasoning. Add the lentils and stir everything together.

Plate the barley and lentils. Top with the pig's cheeks drizzled with the cooking juices. Serve.

Cajun Chicken Gumbo

Another comfort food favourite, I wanted something to go with some dirty rice I bought in the States and of course it had to be gumbo! This was a fairly traditional gumbo that was packed full of flavour with the Cajun spices and really easy to make too.

Cajun Chicken Gumbo (from Good Food Magazine April 2012)

(Serves 6)
 

4 tbsp olive oil

5 skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunky pieces

1 onion, chopped

2 celery sticks, sliced

3 bay leaves

5 tbsp plain flour

4 tsp Cajun spice mix

600ml chicken stock

2 green peppers, deseeded and cut into chunks

300g thickly sliced ham, trimmed of any fat and diced

3 spring onions, sliced

2 tbsp very roughly chopped parsley
 

Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a wide casserole or a large frying pan and fry the chicken for a few mins to brown. Tip out onto a plate. Add the onion to the pan with 1 tbsp more oil and fry for 5 mins until almost softened. Add the celery and fry for another 2 mins, then tip out to join the chicken. Add the remaining oil, bay leaves and flour to the pan and cook into a paste. Carry on cooking, stirring constantly (with a splash of water if you need), until golden brown, then stir in the spices for 2 mins.
 

Gradually stir in the stock until smooth and saucy. Return the chicken and veg to the pan, along with the peppers, cover and simmer gently for 15 mins. Stir in the ham, cover and simmer gently for 10 mins more. Check for seasoning, then serve, sprinkled with the spring onions mixed with the chopped parsley.

Braised Sausages with Puy Lentils

I used half a tin of puy lentils to make my Roasted Carrot Salad last week and I was scrabbling around for ideas of what to do with the other half of the tin. I had some Pork and Black Pudding Sausages hiding the freezer and I came up with a braised sausage and lentil dish, something comforting and warming for this time of year. It's really easy to make and definitely provided that warmth I was seeking.

On a slightly separate but still sausage related note, those Black Boar and Wild garlic Sausages I had last week were absolutely delicious! A different flavour from pork and the wild garlic really came through. They came from The Parsons Nose, who have a stall on Walthamstow Farmers Market.

Print Recipe
Braised Sausages with Puy Lentils
(Serves 1)

oil
2 pork sausages
1/2 onion, chopped
1 small carrot, chopped
1 small stick celery, chopped
1/2 400g can Puy lentils
splash white wine
300ml chicken stock
2 leaves spring greens, sliced

Heat a wide pan with a lid or a casserole dish and add a little oil. Brown the sausages all over. Remove, then add the onion, carrots and celery and cook until onions are softened. Add the lentils and stir. Add the wine and reduce a little, then add the stock, season and add back the sausages.

Put on a lid and simmer gently for 20-25 minutes until lentils and sausages are cooked through, add the spring greens for the last 3-5 mins of cooking until they are wilted. Add a splash of water if needed or remove the lid for the last 5 minutes if there's too much liquid.

Cream of Celery Soup

On Saturday I had a vegetarian day. I try to eat at least one maybe two vegetarian meals a week but I don't usually manage a whole day. This cream of celery soup is really easy to make and delicious. I have made this soup before but forgot to take any pictures and it was so good that I decided to make it again. That and I had scored a couple of very cheap celeriac at the supermarket! I served this with a cheese sandwich in a crusty brown roll and it set us up well for an afternoon of wallpaper stripping.

Cream of Celery Soup (from Cook Sister)
(serves 4)

1 tbsp oil
350g celery stalks, chopped
250g celeriac, peeled and cubed
150g leek, thinly sliced
600ml good vegetable stock
120ml single cream
salt and black pepper

Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the chopped vegetables and cook for 3 or 4 minutes until everything has started to soften.

Add the hot stock, bring to a boil, cover and allow to simmer for about 25 minutes, until the celeriac is fork tender.

Remove from the heat and use a hand blender to blend the vegetables and stock into a puree. Add more hot stock if necessary to thin the soup.

Stir in the cream, check for seasoning and return to a low heat to heat through.  Serve with crusty bread or a cheese sandwich.