Paul Granger's Chicken Pie

Recipe from here.

The chicken pie is nice, it's a recipe from Bill Granger originally, but now I just sort of do it without reading the recipe. Here goes:

Make some rough puff pastry with the thermomix. I usually just make enough for a pie top, but you can make an enclosed pie if you prefer.

Shake some chicken cut into chunks with flour spiced with cayenne, S&P
Fry quickly on both sides until just brown (raw in centre still) and remove
Fry some sliced leeks in the oil
Add white wine, deglaze
Add some chicken stock or water and 2 tsp dried tarragon
Add some frozen peas
Add about 1/2 cup cream or sour cream until you get the right thickness of sauce
Add the chicken back and cook for a couple of minutes
Put pastry on while filling is still hot, wash with beaten egg and cook for 45 mins at 190 C

Thoughts

I haven't given exact amounts because you can make it any size you want. Every time it turns out slightly differently, so don't get hung up on exact measures. Last night's effort was really good, the TMX made the best pastry I have ever cooked. Ever!

Unsalted butter is best for the pastry, Australian unsalted butter is no good, the wrong consistency or something. Lurpak, the Danish butter, seems the best bet. The rare times I have seen French unsalted butter in Cairns it is rancid when bought - yuk.

I use dried tarragon because the stuff they sell in supermarkets is fake. It's either Russian tarragon, which is easier to grow, but tasteless; or 'Mexican' tarragon with bright yellow flowers, which has an appallingly overwhelming aniseed taste. So dried seems best. Chicken and tarragon is a match made in heaven. The fakeness of tarragon is a pet hate of mine, so don't get me started...

Frozen peas are nicer then fresh peas, unless you grow them yourself and cook as soon as you have picked them. Otherwise they're mealy and horrible. I don't buy frozen veges as a rule, peas are the exception.

I don't think we make enough pies these days. They have a proud heritage, and they are so nice when done with good ingredients.

I have to confess I also made mashed potato to go with it, in the TMX, and I'm eyeing off the leftovers today.

Goji berry and chicken soup for colds and flu

By James Wong

2 tbsp dried echinacea root
200 ml water, freshly boiled
5 tbsp goji berries, fresh or dried
2 litres chicken stock (homemade or from stock cubes)
3 chicken thighs or drumsticks (preferably organic)
2 large onions, peeled and sliced
12 shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
10 cm root ginger, peeled and shredded
2 fresh medium-sized chillies, finely sliced
8 garlic cloves,chopped
extra sliced ginger and chillis, to serve

1. Combine the dried echinacea root with the water in a bowl to make a simple infusion. In another bowl, pour just enough cold water over the goji berries to cover, and leave to rehydrate. Set the echinacea and goji berries aside and leave to stand.
2. Place the stock and chicken pieces in a large pan or slow cooker. Add the sliced onions, mushrooms, ginger and chillies and place around the chicken in the pan. On a very low heat, simmer gently for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, or until the chicken is tender and falls apart. Take off the heat.
3. Five minutes before serving, add the goji berries and chopped garlic. Finally, strain the echinacea infusion and add this to the soup, reheating if necessary.
4. Serve by ladling into bowls and garnishing with sliced ginger and chilli for an extra kick.

USE: Makes enough for 4. Can be eaten with noodles, if wished.