In praise of the Ploughman's Lunch

My cravings have recently taken me to the world of the Ploughman’s Platter.  I know many of you may be thinking “really?”, but I am not just talking any Ploughman’s but one with homemade Pork Pie (or my variation on it) and a smooth, creamy and I have to say divine Chicken Liver Pate (for which I have to thank the Rvv as it is he who made it).   Add to the ensemble fat pickled onions, a slice of notably moving Brie and pungent smelling Stilton, some fresh baked bread, cherry tomatoes and a glass of Red you will find yourself instantly transported to a country pub complete with roaring fire and good conversation. 

So if you fancy making something simple for supper one evening here is my recommendation on dressing it up beautifully.

Richard’s Chicken Liver Pate

300g trimmed Chicken Livers (buy 400g before trimming)

2 Shallots finely chopped

3 cloves Garlic finely chopped

3 tbsp Brandy

100ml Double Cream

1 rasher Bacon finely chopped

2 tbsp Butter

Clarified butter (optional)

Salt and Pepper

A handful of Flat Leaf Parsley (chopped)

Fry off the shallots and bacon until soft.  Add the garlic and cook for a couple of minutes.  Add the chicken liver and cook until it starts to change colour.  Season with salt and pepper, add the brandy and cook for a few minutes then add the cream and parsley and cook for another 3 minutes.  Place all the ingredients from the pan into a food processor or blender and add the 2 tablespoons of butter and blitz until smooth.

Tip into a container or pot and cover with clarified butter or cling film.  Refrigerate overnight to set.

Pork, Turkey & Bacon Pie

For the pastry

200g lard (trying to be relatively healthy I use Trex Vegetable Fat)
220g water
575g flour
1 beaten egg
1 small cake tin (20cm) with loose bottom

For the filling

200g Minced Pork

200g Minced Turkey

8 rashers of Streaky Bacon (chopped)

1 tsp fresh Thyme Leaves (finely chopped)

5 fresh Sage Leaves (finely chopped)

½ tsp Ground Allspice

Salt and Pepper

For the Jelly

½ pint good quality Chicken Stock which has formed a jelly (this is very important, if the stock does not form a jelly it is not concentrated enough and you will end up with a wet pie)

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.

Firstly make the pastry. 

Place the lard and water in a saucepan and heat to a boil.  Once boiling point has been reached remove from the heat and empty in the flour mixing with a wooden spoon forming a wet dough.  Leave until cool enough to handle but it should still be warm to the touch when you put it in the tin.

Take a quarter of the dough and leave to one side.  With the remainder place it in the bottom of the tin and work it over the bottom and up the sides of the tin until it is all covered and slightly overlapping the sides.  Be careful to ensure there are no holes in the pastry and that certain areas are not too thin as this will mean leakage when you pour in the stock.

With the remaining quarter of the pastry, either roll it out or use your hands to flatten it as a top for the pie.

Place all the filling ingredients into a food processor fitted with a blade and blitz until well combined.  Using your hands put the meat mixture into the pastry gently pushing down to remove any air bubbles or spaces.  Place the top of the pastry on top and then using the bits hanging over the sides use these with the top to seal the pie by pinching with your fingers all the way round.  Use the handle of a wooden spoon to make a hole in the top middle of the pie pushing it almost all the way down the pie (but not through the bottom).

Place the pie in the oven for 30 minutes.  After this time, reduce the temperature of the oven to 160 degrees and cook for a further 90 minutes.  I know this may seem like a long time but it will be fine (trust me!).  After the 90 minutes remove from the oven, brush the top with egg and then put back in the oven for a final 30 minutes.  OK that is it for the cooking so remove from the oven and re-establish the hole in the top with the wooden spoon again as it may have sealed itself during cooking.

Heat the jellied stock until liquid and then gently pour into the hole in the pie until it seems full.  Place in the refrigerator overnight to set.

This may seem a little long-winded but it is definitely worth it and I guarantee you will never look at shop brought pork pies again in the same way.