Mix any leftover soured cream with lemon juice, mustard and soft herbs (you could use some of the leftover tarragon, if you like) and use to dress cooked new potatoes.
Ingredients
2 large leeks
2 bunches of asparagus (500g)
1 x 1.5kg whole free-range chicken
olive oil
2 heaped tablespoons plain flour
4 sprigs of tarragon
100ml soured cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
500g shortcrust pastry
optional: free-range egg or milk, for brushing
Top Tip
The filling can be made ahead, ready to assemble the following day. Simply follow the recipe up to the end of step 6 and place it in the fridge until needed.
Method
- Halve the leeks, wash and roughly slice the green parts and finely slice the white parts. Snap the woody ends off the asparagus then finely slice the stalks, leaving the tips whole.
- Put the green parts of the leek and the asparagus ends into a large deep pan with a pinch of sea salt, sit the chicken on top and cover with cold water. Place the pan on a high heat and bring just to the boil. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat to low, then simmer gently for 1 hour, or until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear, skimming off any scum that rises to the top. Lift the chicken out onto a board and leave to cool.
- Bring the poaching stock to the boil. Shred the chicken, discarding the skin, and set aside, then return the bones and carcass to the pan and boil for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place a large, deep frying pan on medium-low heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, add the remaining leek and asparagus, and cook for 10 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
- Strain the chicken stock through a fine sieve into a bowl, then gradually add to the frying pan, stirring, until smooth, then simmer until thickened. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- Strain the filling through a colander into a large bowl and leave to cool completely (save the leftover veg for delicious gravy). Roughly chop the tarragon and stir through the cooled mixture with the cooked chicken, asparagus tips, soured cream and mustard.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas 5.
- Lightly grease a 22cm pie dish with olive oil. Take two thirds of the pastry, roll it out between two sheets of greaseproof paper to just a few millimetres thick and use it to line the dish, allowing the excess pastry to hang over the sides. Spoon in the filling, then roll out the remaining third of the pastry the same way and lay over the top. Seal the edges with your thumb and finger or a fork and make a small incision in the centre to let the steam escape. Brush with egg or milk, if using, and bake at the bottom of the oven for 30 minutes, or until golden.
- Heat the reserved pie gravy to pour over. Delicious served with peas and mashed potato.
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