CHICKEN & TARRAGON PIE

INGREDIENTS

•       600g cooked chicken, roughly shredded

•       500ml good chicken stock

•       3 tbsp cornflour

•       100ml whole milk or cream

•       1 tsp white miso paste

•       1 tsp Dijon mustard (optional)

•       2 tbsp fresh tarragon, leaves roughly chopped

•       200g cavolo nero, stems removed and leaves roughly torn

•       30g butter

•       1 onion, finely diced

•       2 garlic cloves, minced

•       1 Dorset Pastry puff pastry sheet

•       1 egg, beaten (to glaze)

METHOD

1.    Blanch the cavolo nero in boiling salted water for 2 minutes, drain well and squeeze out any excess water. Set aside.

2.    Melt the butter in a wide saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook gently for 8–10 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

3.    Mix the cornflour with a splash of cold water to make a smooth paste. Pour the chicken stock into the pan and bring to a gentle simmer. Whisk in the cornflour paste and stir until thickened - about 3 minutes. Stir in the milk or cream, miso paste, and Dijon mustard.

4.    Fold in the chicken, tarragon, and the blanched cavolo nero. Season with salt and pepper and taste - the tarragon should be fragrant but not overpowering. Transfer to a deep pie dish and leave to cool slightly.

5.    Preheat oven to 200°C fan. Drape the pastry over the pie dish, press to seal and trim. Brush with beaten egg and score a small steam hole.

6.    Bake for 25–30 minutes until deeply golden and bubbling. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes: Tarragon is assertive - taste as you go and err on the side of less if you're unsure. The cavolo nero wilts down considerably, so don't be alarmed by the volume before cooking. A small squeeze of lemon stirred through the finished filling just before adding the pastry lifts everything beautifully. Also NOTE - note to check the consistency before transferring to the dish: it should coat the back of a spoon thickly and hold a channel when you run your finger through it. If it still looks loose, slacken a little more cornflour in cold water and stir it back in over the heat.