Margarita's International Recipes

England

Chicken and Mushroom Pie Chicken and mushroom pie is one of those English classics, that families would have traditionally eaten during the week. English food has never had a good reputation, perhaps because it lacks the sophistication of its French counterpart, but this dish couldn't be more pleasant and satisfying. It's home cooking at its best. There are many recipes for chicken and mushroom pie out there - as you would expect of an old family favorite. I combined several to adjust to the ingredients I could easily get (I wanted to use leeks, but they don't seem to be in season), as well as my personal taste and cooking techniques. The results were wonderful. Nope, it's not the type of things you'd serve at one of Gordon Ramsey's restaurants, but I'm sure it's the type of thing that Ramsey himself would like to eat at home. I made the recipe as described below, except that as I didn't have Dijon mustard, I substituted with 1/2 Tbsp. spicy brown mustard and 1/2 Tbsp. honey mustard. That made it a bit sweet, which I personally liked, but stay away from the honey mustard if you're not into sweetness. You may also want to use slightly more than 1 Tbsp. of mustard if you're a mustard fan, as it is the flavor is very mild. If this recipe doesn't have enough pastry for you, you can also bake the pie on a regular pie crust. Chicken and Mushroom Pie Ingredients 6 Tbsp. butter, divided 1 Tbsp. olive oil 1 onion, chopped 2 carrots, chopped 1 celery rib, chopped 2 1/2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cubed 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1 1/4 cups chicken broth 1/3 cup white wine 1 Tbsp. chopped, dried porcini dash of dried tarragon salt and pepper 8 oz mushrooms, sliced 2 - 4 Tbsp. flour 1 cup milk 1 Tbsp. dijon mustard dash nutmeg 1 sheet puff pastry 1 egg, beaten Instructions Melt 1 Tbsp. butter with the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion, carrots and celery and saute over medium-low heat until soft, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken and garlic and saute for a couple of minutes. Add the chicken broth, wine, dried porcini, tarragon and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well, bring to a boil, then simmer on low heat, covered, for 30 to 40 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Strain the chicken into a bowl and reserve both the chicken and the broth. While the chicken is cooking, melt 1 Tbsp. butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add sliced mushrooms and cook until tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. Clean the pan you used to cook the chicken with a paper towel. Add 4 Tbsp. butter and cook over medium heat until melted and foaming. Gradually add 2 Tbsp. of flour, whisking constantly. Gradually add the milk and 1 1/2 cups broth, also whisking constantly. Add the mustard, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Continue cooking over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the sauce thickens. Add more flour if necessary. Taste and season accordingly. Mix the mushrooms and the sauce with the chicken and set aside. Turn on oven to 400F. Place puff pastry on a flat, lightly floured surface. Roll with a floured rolling pin until it's large enough to cover your pie dish completely. Cut a circle about 1" wider than your pie dish. Brush the edged of your pie dish with the beaten egg. Pour the chicken mixture into the pie dish. Cover with the puff pastry, pressing on the edges tightly. Brush top with the beaten egg and make a few cuts. Cook in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until the pastry is nice and golden. Alternatively, use individual ramekins. Adapted from several recipes, though mostly this one from the Independent. English Recipes | Margarita's International Recipes | E-mail