CHICKEN ,LEEK AND MUSHROOM PIE

• Annabel Langbein's version of a classic . Very easy, and very good. Freezes well too, either cooked or uncooked. Place on a baking tray to cook as it can overflow easily.
• Serves 4-5
• 
  
• 3 tbsp butter
• 2 large leeks, white part only, washed and sliced
• 400g button mushrooms, sliced
• ½ tsp each finely chopped fresh rosemary and thyme leaves
• 1½ cups chicken stock
• 3 tbsp cornflour
• 1 cup milk
• salt and ground black pepper
• 800g-1kg boneless chicken thighs or other boneless chicken, visible fat removed, flesh cut into 2-3cm pieces

Pot pie topping:

• 1½ cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• a pinch of pepper
• 2 tsp chopped rosemary or ¼ cup grated parmesan (optional)
• ½ cup milk
• 2 tbsp flavourless oil, eg grapeseed
• or use bought flaky pastry

Melt butter in a large pot and cook leeks and mushrooms over a gentle heat for about 10 minutes, until softened but not brown.

 Add herbs and stock and bring to a simmer. Mix cornflour to a smooth paste with a little of the milk. Add to pan with remaining milk and stir over heat until lightly thickened. Season generously. Sauce can be prepared ahead to this point and chilled. About an hour before serving mix chicken through sauce and place in a pie dish.

To make the topping, mix flour, baking powder, salt and pepper and optional rosemary or parmesan. Make a well in the centre and pour in milk and oil. Use a knife to mix to a soft dough. Roll out on a lightly floured board to fit pie case.

Cover pie with rolled out topping, pressing firmly to seal edges. Cut a couple of notches in the top to allow steam to escape. Bake at 200°C for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 180ºC and cook 20-25 minutes until golden.

SMOKED FISH PIE

This recipe is from The Coffee Factory, Pomeroy's at Wakatu. 
A bit fiddly with the filo pastry, but easily doable.

SAUCE 

2 cups of milk
1/4 cup each vegetable or fish stock, cream
finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon
50g of butter
1/2 onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup of plain flour

300g skinless, boneless smoked fish, broken into pieces
1 spring onion, sliced
500g savoury short pastry
25g butter, melted
8 sheets filo pastry
1 cup finely grated cheddar cheese

Place milk,stock,cream and zest into a pan and heat. 
Melt butter in another pan, add onion and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes over a low heat. Stir in pepper and flour. 
Slowly add the warm milk mixture, stirring until smooth and thick.

Add the fish and spring onions to the sauce and heat through. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 180C and lightly grease 8 holes of a Texan muffin tin.
Cut shortcrust pastry into 8x15cm diameter circles and line the holes of the pan. 
Divide the fish mixture evenly between the pastry cases.

Lightly butter one sheet of filo, scrunch it up and place on top of one pie. Repeat with the remaining filo and butter.
Sprinkle the pies with cheese.
Bake in preheated oven for about 20 minutes until golden. Serve with green salad and lemon wedges.

VEGETABLE AND BEAN NACHOS WITH CHIPOLTE SOUR CREAM

I'm not the biggest fan of beans (except Heinz Baked Beans, yum) but this vegetarian mix is really nice. Nice with nachos but also great in tacos. Serves 4

SAUCE


1 red onion, finely diced
1capsicum, core removed, finely diced
2 carrots, grated
400g can chopped tomatoes
400g can mild chilli beans
1 1/2 tablespoons nacho spice mix*
400g can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
1 cup grated cheese

TO SERVE

1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon tomato sauce
2-3 teaspoons chipotle sauce (Mexican/International section in supermarket)
1 lettuce
corn chips or taco shells
1/4 cup chopped coriander (if you want)
any other veges you want, tomatoes etc

NACHO SPICE MIX *

Mix together 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon onion powder (I couldn't find this so used onion salt), 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander.
If you want a bit of spice, add 1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground chilli or cayenne.

Heat a drizzle of oil in pan, cook onion and capsicum for about 4 minutes until softened. Add carrots and spice mix and cook for another few minutes. Add tomatoes, chilli beans, kidney beans, chilli sauce and stir to combine. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Season to taste.
Mix sour cream and chipolte sauce and tomato sauce  together,put in to a small bowl. Finely slice lettuce and prepare other vegetables. If using for nachos, transfer bean mix to oven proof dish, sprinkle with cheese and grill till melted.