Chicken, Mushroom and Leek Pie by Cynthia Low

Taken from Sunday Metro, The Star 8th May 2011
Serves 4 to 6

Rough puff pastry (makes enough for 1 pie crust):
125 gm plain flour
A pinch of salt
125 gm butter, at room temperature but not soft
75 - 100 ml ice-cold water
Extra flour for rolling the pastry

Method:
Sift the flour and salt together into a bowl. Chop the butter into small chunks, add them to the bowl and rub into the flour with your fingers (there should still be small lumps of butter visible in the mixture)
Make a well in the centre and pour in about 2/3 of the cold water, mixing until it forms a firm rough dough,adding extra water if needed. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for about 15 mins.
Sprinkle some flour onto a chopping board and tip the dough on top. Lightly knead it together and press it into a smooth rectangle.
Roll it with a rolling pin until it is about 1 cm thick. Do not worry if streaks of butter are visible.
Fold the top third of the dough down to the centre, then the bottom third up and over that. Give the dough a quarter turn and roll out again to 1 cm thick.
Fold again, cover with cling film and chill again for at lest 15 mins before rolling to use.

Chicken, Mushroom and Lee Pie:
1 kg boneless chicken thighs
3 tbsp plain flour
1 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Salt to taste
Olive oil
1 leek, sliced thinly (use white part only)
4 rashers of bacon, chopped
250 gm mushrooms sliced
350 - 400 ml chicken stock
1 tsp chopped fresh or dried thyme leave
3 tbsp chopped coriander
1 sheet of frozen puff pastry thawed
1 egg, lightly beaten

Method:
Remove any skin and fat from the chicken and chop it into bite-sized pieces.
Place flour, pepper and salt into a large bowl and toss the chicken pieces in it until well coated.
Heat around 2 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan or a heavy bottomed saucepan, and brown the chicken pieces in batches over medium heat until they are golden brown. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
Add a little more oil to the pan followed by the sliced leeks, bacon and mushrooms. Cook over medium heat, stirring often until they soften and start to brown.
Return the chicken to the pan and add half the stock. Once it starts to boil, add the rest of the stock until the chicken is almost covered. Add the herbs, then turn down the heat and allow it to simmer for around 35 mins, stirring occasionally until the chicken is cooked and the mixture is thick and creamy. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for about 20 mins.
Pre-heat the oven to 180'C.
Place the chicken into a pie dish (about 5 cm deep) so that the filling comes almost to the top of the dish. Brush the top edges of the dish with beaten egg, then place the thawed pastry sheet on top. Press the edges down to seal, then make slits on the top of the pastry.
Brush the top with the beaten egg again and bake for about 30 mins or until the pastry is golden brown and crisp.

Home-cooked: Vegetarian Noodle with Stewed Tomatoes

Something I concocted based on what I have in the fridge ^.^

What you need:

• Stewed tomatoes – this was the left-over I had from my Cajun Chicken
• 1/4 pineapple, cut into chunks
• 1/2 yellow pepper, cut into chunks
• 1 clove garlic, diced
• 3 dried noodles
• 1 egg
• Totato ketchup, salt and pepper to taste
• Some water for gravy

Cook the dried noodles according to the instruction on the packet. Set aside.

Heat up some oil in the wok. Fragrant garlic, then add yellow pepper and pineapple, stir-fry a bit. Add in the stewed tomatoes and let it simmer. Pour in some water, depending how much gravy you need. Add in tomato ketchup, salt and pepper to taste. After simmering for a while, add in the egg, whisk a bit then add in the noodles. Stir-fry until all is cook then serve immediately.

Home-cooked: Chinese–Cajun Chicken

Preparation: 5 mins; Cook: 15 mins; Servings: 4

2 strips bacon, diced

1/2 green pepper, cut in chunks

2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into strips

1 can (14 1/2 oz) Del Monte Stewed Tomatoes, Cajun Recipe

2 tsp cornstarch

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)

Method:

1. Cook bacon in large skillet until crisp

2. Add green pepper and chicken; cook until chicken is no longer pink, about 5 mins

3. Blend undrained tomatoes, cornstarch and cayenne pepper; add to skillet

4. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened. Serve with hot pepper sauce, if desired

The above is the original recipe taken from the can of Del Monte Stewed Tomatoes that I have bought recently. As I don’t have some of the ingredients, I have amended it slightly which is why I called it Chinese-Cajun Chicken ^.^  

I replaced the bacon with more chicken strips, green pepper with yellow pepper as I prefer brighter colour and cayenne pepper with black pepper. I’ve also added garlic… needed that Chinese flavour in it. Please see amended method below:

1. Cook bacon in large skillet until crisp Heat a little olive oil; add garlic and stir-fry until fragrant

2. Add green yellow pepper and chicken; cook until chicken is no longer pink, about 5 mins

3. Blend undrained tomatoes, cornstarch and cayenne black pepper; add to skillet

4. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened. Serve with hot pepper sauce, if desired

Home-cooked: Patt Chi Chou

A very easy to make ‘leong sui’ or cooling herbal drink. You can purchase this herb from any Chinese medical hall or drugstore. It’s an universal herbal drink ^.^

Make sure you clean it first as it’s quite sandy. Then placed it in a pot of water and add some rock sugar. Once boiling, lower the heat and let it simmer for an hour or two. You can serve it warm or chilled. My personal preference is chilled, especially for the extreme hot weather ^.^