Midwinter rescue packages including a meaty braised pork & leek recipe, a vegetarian shepherd's pie & a luxury fish dish

[Celerity]

https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/food-drink/article/rosie-birketts-comforting-winter-pie-recipes-zfb5zvgg0

https://archive.ph/fln9i


Braised pork, leek and celeriac pie, HELEN CATHCART FOR THE SUNDAY TIMES MAGAZINE

Were there ever more welcome words spoken in the depths of midwinter than “I’ve made a pie for dinner”? The process of making a pie is something that fills me with joy — up until the point of getting it into the oven, it feels like hands-on crafting of the most satisfying kind. And because so much love has gone into making it, you can keep side dishes simple. Blanched or wilted greens are my usual go-to, though I can always be tempted by frozen oven chips, with zero guilt about feeling lazy because I’ve just made a pie.

The pie itself doesn’t need to be super-rich and creamy, but the filling should have depth of flavour and be moist enough that you can use the topping (or chips) to mop it up. The “sheepless” shepherd’s pie here is adapted from my book The Joyful Home Cook. It’s the perfect customisable pie and a great vehicle for using up leftover vegetables and cheese.

Everyone has their own version of fish pie — and strong opinions on whether or not to add chopped egg (I say not), use salmon (not on my watch) or add capers (always). Mine includes buttery leeks and brings in influences from Delia Smith, Rick Stein and my mum, whose pie has the perfect ratio of smoked to non-smoked fish as well as small, sweet prawns because tiger prawns can get rubbery.

It doesn’t always occur to me to make a pork-based pie, unless I’m making a hot-water crust pie to eat cold. But there’s something wonderful about slowly braised chunks of pork shoulder — it is really worth making.

snip

Sheepless shepherd’s pie



Luxury fish pie