Kurnik (A Russian Chicken Pie)

I was hosting a lunch recently and found this recipe on Jamie Olivers Website

Perfect for 8-10 people 

You could even prep ahead the day before

Cook the chicken mix and the Rice, pop into the fridge and bring out 

about an hour before serving.

Cover with the pastry lid 

Pop back into the fridge to chill

then 

25-30 minutes in a 180C oven

As simple as that

It looks like a Party Dish and tastes good too

If you want to make it a little easier for your self buy a cooked chicken

I had chicken breasts which I poached and shredded

2 onions

400 gms chestnut mushrooms

1/2 bunch of parsley (15gm)

Olive oil

1 heaped tbsp plain flour

200 mls double cream

750 mls organic Chicken Stock

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

Nutmeg grated

500 gms chicken breast (or  the meat from a 1.4Kg Chicken)

200 gms long grain rice

1 bunch dill

4 hard boiled eggs

Puff Pastry 400 gms

Egg Wash

1 egg yolk mixed with a tablespoon of water

Place the chicken breast into a pot and cover with Chicken Stock

Bring to boil, turn heat down 

simmer for about 5 mins

Cover and leave sitting in the hot stock for about 20 minutes

The chicken will be perfectly cooked

Remove the chicken and put aside

When you can handle it, cut into bite size chunks 

This stock is your beautifully flavoured chicken stock for the rest of the dish

Meanwhile

Peel and finely slice the onion, garlic and mushroom

Heat a lug of oil into a pan over medium heat

Add onions, saute till soft…not brown

Add garlic, cook another couple of minutes

Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

In another frying pan over high heat add 2 tbs olive oil

Add mushrooms, season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook till starting to brown (about 5 mins)

Add to onion pan

Mix well

Add flour and stir well

Then pour in cream and 250 mis of chicken stock

Bring to the boil stirring all the time

Reduce heat and simmer for a few minutes to thicken

Stir in chopped parsley, lemon zest and juice, a good grate of nutmeg

Add the chicken

Meanwhile pop the rice into a pot with the rest of the chicken stock

Bring to the boil, 

Cover, lower heat and reduce to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes till the rice has absorbed the stock

Remove from the heat and fluff a little with a fork

Pick and finely chop the dill

Peel the hard boiled eggs

Chop them very finely

Mix with the dill

Add to the rice

Set aside

To assemble

Grease a large ovenproof dish

Spread a third of the rice so it is evenly covered

Layer on half the chicken mix and top with half the egg mix

Repeat the process and finish with the remaining rice mix

Roll out the pastry, so that it will generously cover the pie 

Place over the top of the mixture

Tuck the edges in

Place in the fridge for 30 minutes for the pastry to settle

Heat oven to 180C

Remove from the fridge

Brush with egg wash

Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is heated through

So how’s that for a pie

I served it with a crisp Iceberg Salad, with some chopped cucumber and sliced radish and a sprinkle of chopped spring onions

Just toss with French dressing just before you serve

Excellent lunch