Shepherd's Pie Recipe

Shepherd's pie is one of those casserole dishes that you can make for dinner and it can be pretty balanced meal with those vegetables in it. It is also great for kids, some mashed potatoes, vegetables and some chicken, what else can they ask for?

In my case this also provides a good variety in our weekly menu as hubby is the type who wants to be surprised with different dishes each time. And being a potato and meat lover, this is just perfect for him.

The chicken filling is made with tomato pasta sauce base, and as I have discovered, this tomato base works damn well when cooked with a splash of red wine, or two! The alcohol just evaporates away leaving nice sweet taste to complement the savoury dish!

You need:

2 pieces of chicken breast, cubed, and marinated for tender soft pieces
1 cup of diced vegetables (celery, peas, corn, carrot, tomato)
1 onion, chopped
1/3 cup of tomato pasta sauce
1/4 cup of red wine
1/4 cup of water
some worcesterchire sauce
some spring onion, chopped long
some mixed herbs
4 large potatoes
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp milk
grated cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Boil the potatoes till soft. Mash with 1tbsp butter, milk and cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Sautee the onion with the remaining butter. Add in the marinated chicken and cook for 5 minutes. Add in the diced vegetable and stir fry for a few minutes more.
3. Add in red wine, water and tomato sauce. Let it simmer at medium heat for 10-15 minutes. Season with mixed herb, salt and pepper.
4. Once done, set it into the baking dish. Spread spring onion over it.
5. Spread the mashed potatoes on top of the chicken layer, and you can use the fork to draw lines for some finishing touch. Bake in the oven at 180C for 20-30 minutes, till the potato layer starts to brown.

You can used minced chicken instead of cubed, but I was just too lazy to use the machine to mince it, hence cubed worked just fine as well! Other meats such as minced lamb or pork would work fine as well. You do not need spring onion if you don't have it. I always go through this phase of obedient ingredient (ala Roger Mooking) and I get into the groove and tend to use it in every dish possible. Spring onion it is right now, and I am loving it!

Its kinda embarrassing but as you can see I have been using my cake baking dish for my pie. The good news is I have bought a new and proper casserole baking dish, so watch out you netizens, I am gonna attack with more casserole dishes soon!

Chicken Pie Recipe

I am not so much into making crust for pie on my own yet. Since I was relying on the frozen puff pastry, I just opted to make a no crust chicken pie, with the puff pastry topping, something like a chicken pot pie.

Initially I set out to make 2 pies, chicken and vegetable separately, each in a 25x15cm baking dish. But the amount of chicken I prepared turned out to be quite a lot. So I mixed some of the vegetables into the chicken pie filling and made both pies with chicken and vegetable filling. You could reduce or increase the amount of vegetables as you like. You could even make it solely with vegetables only.

While preparing the chicken for this pie, I learnt an important tip to cook the chicken cubes as soft as tofu. I had asked around with mummies on the FB group, and finally put it to use, and see its effect with my own eyes, or rather taste buds.

Since I did not have any chicken stock for the pie filling, I cooked the chicken cubes in some amount of water, which will also double up as stock for the filling later.

The recipe makes for one pie in a 25x15cm baking dish:

You Need:

1 piece of chicken breast, cubed
some diced celery
some diced red pepper
cauliflower and broccoli florets
some spring onion cut into long pieces
some diced shiitake mushrooms
1 onion, diced
1 tbsp ginger and garlic paste
1 tbsp corn flour
100ml or 1/2 cup milk
100ml or 1/2 cup water
2tsp butter
Some oil
Some worcestershire sauce
Puff pastry rolled out enough to cover the baking dish
Some beaten egg for egg wash
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1) Marinate the chicken cubes in garlic and ginger paste, mixed with some corn flour for 30 to 60mins.

2) Once marination done, sautee the marinated chicken with 1 tsp butter. I used my HCP. Add the water and let it simmer cook for 10-15mins. Strain the chicken cubes from the stock and set both aside.

3)  Using the same or different pan, heat some oil. Add the remaining butter and sautee the onion. As it browns, add in all the vegetables (except spring onion) to sautee. Season with salt, pepper and worcestershire sauce. Add in the stock and let it simmer for about 5 to 10 mins.

4) Add in the cooked chicken and milk. Let it cook at low heat till it thickens. Once done let it cool while you roll the puff pastry.

5) Pour the filling into the baking dish and sprinkle the spring onion. Then cover with the puff pastry, pressing the sides to seal on the rim of the baking dish. Poke some holes on the top of pastry with a fork. Brush with some egg wash.

6) Bake in a preheated oven at 180C for 20-30 mins, or till the pastry turns golden brown.

So my pie topping is a little shoddy, but now I will take note to roll it out a bit larger because as it cooks it shrinks a little bit. You can also crimp the sides using a fork or your fingers for more crunch. I did crimp it too, but apparently not good enough!

As for the chicken cubes, no doubt it turned out awesomely soft to the bite, just like tofu!

Happy trying!

Baking Sweet Baking Savoury

We had a little gathering at our place for my sister in law's birthday, and as a money-can't-buy gift I baked, and baked and baked. Yeah so I baked two things, one sweet and one savoury.

Remember the house elves? Yes, my two superhero boys who never fail to surprise me with new antiques everyday. They were busy helping me beat the batter, turn the bowl for me, and even washing the dishes. The most important and favourite task of all, is cleaning the whisk (yet again), which used to be my duty but now I have graciously passed it on to my eldest son.

It is such a tough job. I kid you not. Because once the whisk is clean, you gotta lick and clean your fingers next.

 

Once the cake is in the oven, they are rewarded with vitagen drinks for their cooperation for keeping the level of mischief at a low level (I am just being realistic, because you can never achieve zero mischief)

I bet the cake batter washes down very well with the cultured drinks.

For now I shall keep you salivating with the pictures only, and shall share the recipes soonest possible (in kiddy household terms, it might take forever, hence your patience is greatly appreciated).

I present to you walnut coffee cake with chocolate cream cheese topping.

I changed the recipe a little bit as it asked for cream sherry and walnut liquer. If I had those items in the house I would be celebrating over a happy hour instead of baking.

The savoury bake is chicken pot pie, with lots of vegetables. The below picture is the filling and cooked view of the top pastry. Sorry about the shoddy work, I need more practice.

Both the bakes got good raves from everyone. Another feather on my SAHM hat!