Cock-a-leekie Pie
Cock-a-leekie soup traditionally has prunes in it, but leave them out if you’d prefer.
Ingredients
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 large whole chicken, about 1.8kg, jointed into pieces
200 g (7oz) smoked bacon lardons
3 carrots, halved lengthways and cut into 2.5cm pieces
2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
2 leeks, washed and cut into 2.5cm rounds
150 ml (5 fl oz (¼ pint)) white wine
2 bay leaves
2 thyme sprigs
75 g (3oz) butter
75 g (3oz) plain flour
100 ml (3 ½ fl oz) double cream
50 g (2oz) stoned prunes, finely chopped
320 g sheet ready-rolled puff pastry
Directions
Heat oil in a large pan, heavy-based pan, and fry chicken pieces (in batches if necessary) until richly golden all over. Lift into a bowl. To the pan, add the bacon, carrots, celery and leeks and fry for 5min, then add the wine and bubble for a few minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
Return chicken pieces to the pan and add the bay leaves and thyme. Cover chicken with cold water. Bring up to the boil, then turn down heat and simmer for 45min.
Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6. Use a slotted spoon to lift out the vegetables and lardons into a 2.8 litre (5pint) pie dish. Making sure to catch the cooking liquid in a large jug or bowl, strain the remaining contents of pan into a colander. Discard cooking herbs. Set chicken aside until cool enough to handle.
Meanwhile, to the empty cooking pan melt the butter. Stir in flour and cook for 1min. Gradually whisk in 600ml (1 pint) of the cooking liquid to make a smooth sauce. Bring to boil, whisking, until thickened. Add cream and bubble for a couple of minutes. Season to taste.
Peel skin off chicken pieces and shred meat. Add meat to the pie dish, then mix in the sauce and prunes.
Cover pie dish with pastry and press edges against pie dish to stick. Cut through the pastry to divide into 6 rectangles. Brush with beaten egg and cook in oven for 35min until bubbling and golden. Serve.