Category Archives: Pork

Chicken, Bacon and Mushroom Pie

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Chicken, Bacon & Mushroom Pie

This classic chicken and mushroom pie is the ultimate comfort food, featuring a rich, velvety sauce and a crisp, golden lid of flaky pastry. By using shop-bought pastry, this dish becomes an impressively quick option for a mid-week treat or a relaxed weekend dinner. The addition of smoky bacon and a splash of white wine creates a deep, savory base that perfectly complements the earthy mushrooms and tender chicken. I find that using chicken thighs rather than breast meat ensures the filling stays succulent during the baking process. It is a hearty, warming staple that looks beautiful when brought to the table straight from the oven, with the pastry puffed to perfection.

Chicken, Bacon & Mushroom Pie

Servings: 4
Total time: 55m

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pack (320g) shop-bought flaky or puff pastry
  • 500g chicken thighs (diced)
  • 150g smoked streaky bacon (chopped)
  • 250g button mushrooms (sliced)
  • 2 stalks celery (finely diced)
  • 1 onion (finely chopped)
  • 150ml dry white wine
  • 300ml chicken stock
  • 100ml double cream
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 egg (beaten, for glaze)
  • 1 pinch salt and black pepper (to taste)

METHOD

  1. Heat a splash of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken pieces until golden, then remove and set aside.
  2. In the same pan, fry the chopped bacon until crisp.
  3. Add the butter to the pan, then toss in the celery, onion, and mushrooms. Sauté for 6–8 minutes until softened and the mushroom liquid has evaporated.
  4. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute to create a roux.
  5. Pour in the white wine, scraping the bottom of the pan to release the flavor, then gradually stir in the chicken stock and thyme.
  6. Return the chicken to the pan and bring to a gentle simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens.
  7. Stir in the double cream and season generously with black pepper. Pour the mixture into a large pie dish and let it cool slightly.
  8. Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F).
  9. Unroll the flaky pastry and drape it over the pie dish. Trim the edges, press down with a fork to seal, and cut a small slit in the center for steam.
  10. Brush the top thoroughly with the beaten egg for a golden finish.
  11. Bake for 25–30 minutes until the pastry is puffed and deep golden brown.
  12. Serve hot, perhaps with seasonal greens or buttery mashed potatoes.

Bacon, leek and cheese quiche

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BACON AND LEEK QUICHE

Bacon, leek and cheese quiche

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pack shortcrust pastry
  • 2 leeks, thinly sliced
  • 10 rashers bacon, roughly chopped
  • 200ml milk
  • 4 eggs
  • Cheddar cheese, grated
  • Salt and pepper
  • Extra virgin olive oil

METHOD

  1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC.
  2. Heat some oil in a frying pan and gently fry the leeks until soft.
  3. Add the bacon to the pan and fry for another couple of miuntes.
  4. Line a quiche dish with the pastry.
  5. Bake the pastry case blind for 10 minutes.
  6. Remove the baking beans and return the case to the oven for another 5- 8 minutes until cooked.
  7. Whisk the milk and eggs together and season with salt and pepper.
  8. Transfer the leek and bacon to the quiche case
  9. Pour over the egg and milk mixtureand sprinkle with grated cheese.
  10. Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes until golden brown.

Sausage Roll

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SAUSAGE ROLL

Since getting the new electric oven, I’ve been experimenting with some classic recipes. Here is the recipe I made for some sausage rolls.

Sausage Roll

INGREDIENTS

  • 500g pork mince
  • 400g pork sausages (a pack of sausages from Mercadona without casings) spicy chorizo, sliced
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 100g streaky bacon, coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Chilli powder
  • handful of sage leaves, finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons English mustard
  • salt and pepper
  • olive oil extra virgin
  • Pack of ready-made puff pastry
  • egg yolk
  • 100g breadcrumbs

METHOD

  1. Heat some olive oil in a frying pan and fry the onion until soft and just starting to colour.
  2. Combine the pork mince and sausagemeat in a large bowl.
  3. Add the fried onion, bacon, garlic powder, English mustard, sage and season with salt and pepper.
  4. Use your hands to mix everything together.
  5. Shape the meat mixture into a roll and wrap in cling film.
  6. Put in the freezer for 1 hour to chill.
  7. Cut the meat roll in half.
  8. Put the meat roll on the pastry and make into a sausage roll.
  9. Use the egg yolk to brush the edges to secure the roll and also the top.
  10. Put on a baking tray lined with baking parchment.
  11. Bake in a 200ºC oven for 30 minutes (with top and bottom heating elements on).

NOTES

The cooking time will depend on the bean so if you are using older beans, you should adjust the cooking times accordingly.

Sausage Pasta

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This is a recipe for sausage pasta.

SAUSAGE PASTA

INGREDIENTS

    • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
    • 2 stalks of celery, finely diced
    • 1 carrot, diced
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 500g pork sausage meat, split into small pieces
    • 1/2 cup of white wine
    • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
    • 1 teaspoon ground fennel
    • a pinch chilli
    • 1 can tomatoes
    • 2 tablespoons tomato sauce
    • pasta
    • parsley
    • Parmesan cheese

METHOD

  1. Heat the olive oil in a stainless steel frying pan.
  2. Gently fry the onion, garlic, carrot and celery until soft, seasoning with salt and pepper.
  3. Transfer the vegetables to a dish.
  4. Fry the sausage pieces until golden brown.
  5. Add the fennel, bay leaf and wine.
  6. Add the vegetables, can of tomatoes and tomato sauce and cook for 15-20 minutes.
  7. Meanwhile, cook the pasta.
  8. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with Parmesan cheese.

Hake and Chorizo with White Beans

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cortijoblog fried potato cake

HAKE AND CHORIZO WITH WHITE BEANS

If you are using dried white beans, this recipe can be cooked in a pressure cooker and it will take about 30 minutes. Alternatively, you can use canned beans and cook it on the stove top. This recipe works well with any type of white fish such as hake or cod. You can replace the dried cabbage with fresh, chopped cabbage.

fried potato cake

 Hake and Chorizo with White Beans

This fish dish can be easily and quickly prepared in a pressure cooker.

INGREDIENTS

  • 200g dried white beans, soaked for 24-48 hours
  • 80g spicy Spanish dried chorizo, thinly sliced
  • 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped1 glass red wine
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 hake fillets
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 tablespoons concentrated tomato sauce
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper

METHOD

  1. Put the beans in a pressure cooker, cover with water and cook for 15 minutes.
  2. Quick release the pressure and drain the beans.
  3. Heat some olive oil in the pressure cooker.
  4. Gently fry the onion until soft.
  5. Add the chorizo and fry for another couple of minutes.
  6. Fry the garlic for 30 seconds or so.
  7. Add all the other ingredients and the beans but not the fish to the pan.
  8. Mix well and season with salt and pepper.
  9. Pour over a cup of water and bring to the boil.
  10. Cover the pressure cooker and bring up to pressure.
  11. Turn down the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
  12. Turn off the heat and leave for 5 minutes.
  13. Release the pressure and open the cooker.
  14. Check that the beans are cooked.
  15. Lay the fish on the top.
  16. Put back on a low heat.
  17. Cover and leave for 10-15 minutes.
  18. Serve.