Chicken Little

Having done rather a lot of beef a few days previously, as noticed at reference 2, we thought that the chicken the Sunday following should be restrained. Not the chicken itself, which would continue to be a full-on grain-fed, woodland-reared full-and-happy-life chicken from the Sainsbury's taste the difference range of same - but we would omit the stuffing which we have taken to having with it. The sort of thing noticed at reference 3.

But the day started for me with a run around Jubilee Way, setting out with no sign of wind, but there was wind by the time I got to Ruxley Lane. Fortunately, a wind blowing down a hill, say the one that starts after you pass the Ruxley Lane junction on the way to Tolworth Tower, is not usually as bad as one might expect, as one seems to get into the wind-shadow of the hill as one goes up it.

The refurbished market square in Epsom busy with what mostly looked like street food.

Getting back home in time for my apéritif  before chicken.

Which was snapped above before the arrival of the all-important boiled vegetables. Taken with wine from Majestic, that is to say King's Favour, rather than something organic from Guildford.

With the bowl in which the dessert was cooked being quite old now, floral white pyrex (or something of the sort) having been off the shelves of shops (other than charity shops) for some years. Possibly from the land of FIL. 

Wound down by reviewing the state of Woodcote, a review which resulted in the capture of Wellingtonia 28 a couple of days later.

Day two, cold.

Day three soup, construction of which involved orange lentils, bacon, onions, leeks and potatoes.

Day four pie, construction of which involved chicken,bacon, onions, leeks and potatoes. But in a rather different format to the soup of the day before.

Chopped the bacon, chopped the onions and cooked them for a bit in butter. Added about a tablespoon of flour. Cooked for a bit longer. Added a small amount of water. Added leeks.

While this was going on, boiled some potatoes and mashed them.

Cut some button mushrooms in half, stirred into the frying mixture and turned the whole lot into a pie dish. Spread the mashed potato on top. Cook at 165°C or so for an hour - just a matter of warming everything up and browning the top. No need to overdo it.

Turned out very well, with the water content just about right. Always a bit hit and miss with these sorts of things, as once the pie is in the oven, no possibility of further adjustment. And pies which are either too wet or too dry don't do at all.

BH, as a sometime fan of various televised bake-offs, was invited to do the next one with pastry. She did not seem very enthusiastic, but I shall work on her.

PS: a left over turkey version of this pie used to be a regular feature of Christmas, both when I was a child and then later with our own children. But, be it chicken or turkey, rather fallen into disuse of late.

Reference 1: Kylling Kluk - Thiel - 1823. An early appearance of Chicken Little in print.

Reference 2: https://psmv4.blogspot.com/2021/03/dry-run.html.

Reference 3: https://psmv4.blogspot.com/2020/12/more-stuffing.html.

Reference 4: https://psmv4.blogspot.com/2021/03/wellingtonia-28.html.