In a faraway land, a long time ago, I enjoyed sitting down to a heavenly treat of Chicken and Leek Pie at Porter’s Restaurant in Covent Garden. This was a sleek, modern place, not like the red and neon-y like the pizza place where I worked. (L.S. Grunt’s Chicago Pizza Pie was a pre-theatre spot for homesick Americans and the odd British customers who didn’t know that the best pizza in the universe came from Sally’s in New Haven. No ham-fisted, doughy pizza from Chicago could ever hope to compete with the pizza perfection from Sally’s.) The pairings at Porter’s seemed very sophisticated and worldly to me. I might have known a little bit about pizza, but I knew next to nothing about pies. Yes, we had Shepherd’s Pie growing up, but nothing like Porter’s Lamb and Apricot Pie. Shepherd’s Pie in our house was a way of using up leftovers. Yes, at Thanksgiving we would bake both a pumpkin pie and a lemon meringue pie, because we were open-minded East Coast Liberals, but never a Treacle Tart or Damson Triple Cream. Some of the romance of cooking comes from the names of the dishes. Gamekeeper’s Pie. Doesn’t that make you think that Alan Bates is whipping up something romantic and steamy in the kitchen?
So I have wandered around the Internets (as some wags delight in calling it) and found some recipes which come close to my memories of the light-as-a-feather puff pastry and piping hot goodness I enjoyed at Porter’s. If you get a chance, pop in there some day. I have included their link at the end.
Chicken and Leek Pie
For a topping alternative, use thawed purchased puff pastry dough. (A concept I endorse heartily!) Preheat an oven to 425ºF and lay the dough on top of the filling in the dish. Trim the dough around the dish, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Fold the overhang back over itself and press it into the sides of the dish to make a sturdy rim. Prick the dough with a fork to create steam vents and bake until golden brown.
9 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large leeks, white and light green portions, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup dry white wine
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups shredded cooked chicken, homemade or purchased
1 cup baby peas
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 cups milk
Prepare the filling
Preheat an oven to 375ºF.
In a large ovenproof fry pan over medium-high heat, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter. Add the leeks, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add 1/3 cup of the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the wine and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken and peas, and season with salt and pepper.
Make the topping and bake the pie
In a bowl, combine the remaining 2 cups flour, the baking powder and the 1/2 teaspoon salt. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in the remaining 5 tablespoons butter until the mixture forms coarse crumbs about the size of peas. Add the milk and, using a rubber spatula, stir until evenly moistened. Place heaping spoonfuls of the batter evenly over the chicken filling.
Bake until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling, about 25 minutes. Serves 4 to 6.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast Series, One Pot, by Carrolyn Carreño (Oxmoor House, 2008).
https://britishfood.about.com/od/adrecipes/r/chickenleekmushpie.htm (This one calls for mushrooms – but you can be a brave and adventurous eater such as myself, and pick them out!)
https://porters-restaurant.com/
“There is nothing better on a cold wintry day than a properly made pot pie.”
Craig Claiborne
Kathy Bosin says
That sounds good for a snowy Sunday like they’re predicting for tomorrow. Maybe I’d add a little cayenne…..