In the spirit of togetherness
Every now and then – like, for example, Mother's Day – you want a dish that will pull the family together as one around the table; one that different generations will all enjoy. A golden-topped pot pie is just the thing, its creamy chicken filling chockers with sweet leeks and mushrooms. Follow with a fine-crumbed cake that's fragrant with sweet dessert wine, topped with sticky autumn fruits, and raise a toast to mothers everywhere.
Chicken pot pie
Pot pies are baked in pie dishes with pastry lids sealing in all the goodness. Use left-over roast, poached or steamed chicken, and serve at the table so you can break through the crisp pastry and spoon out the steamy, creamy chicken fricassee inside.
INGREDIENTS
500g cooked chicken meat
3 tbsp butter, plus butter for pie dish
1 tbsp olive oil
3 leeks, trimmed and sliced
300g button mushrooms, trimmed and halved
2 tbsp flour
400ml chicken stock
150ml cream
1 tsp paprika
2 tbsp chopped parsley
2 sheets puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, beaten
METHOD
1. Heat the oven to 200C. Lightly butter a 24cm-diameter deep pie dish. Cut the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces.
2. Heat 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp oil in a big heavy frypan and cook the leeks and mushrooms, without browning, until soft.
3. To make the sauce, heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a pan. When foaming, add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon over a low heat for 2 minutes. Slowly add the chicken stock, stirring constantly, then the cream, paprika, sea salt and pepper, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
4. Fold in the chicken, leeks, mushrooms and parsley, season well, and pile the mixture into the pie dish.
5. When cool, drape the pastry over the top, allowing for 2cm overhang, pinching it to join where necessary. Stab the top two or three times with a knife, brush with beaten egg, and bake for 30 minutes or until golden and bubbling.
Serves 4
Sauternes and apricot cake
Sweet dessert wine – like a late-harvest riesling or semillon – gives this cake a fine texture, and dried apricots add to its complex fruitiness. Adapted from a recipe from California's Chez Panisse.
INGREDIENTS
225g soft dried apricots
2 tbsp sultanas
2 tbsp currants
2 tbsp honey
375ml sweet dessert wine
3 eggs
150g castor sugar
150ml olive oil
1 tbsp grated orange zest
180g plain flour, sifted
1½ tsp baking powder
icing sugar for dusting
METHOD
1. Combine 125g apricots with sultanas, currants, honey and 225ml dessert wine and bring to the boil. Simmer over high heat until thick and syrupy, then set aside. Whiz the remaining 100g apricots to a puree (add a splash of hot water if necessary) and set aside.
2. Heat oven to 180C (160C fan-forced). Use a teaspoon of the olive oil to oil a 20cm square baking pan and line with baking paper.
3. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer for 3 minutes until pale. Add 150ml dessert wine, olive oil, orange zest and apricot puree, beating well. Fold in the sifted flour and baking powder and mix until just combined.
4. Pour the batter into the tin and bake for 40 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Cool, dust with icing sugar and serve with the syrupy dried fruits.
Serves 6