Chicken Pie with Celeriac Mash
Celeriac is a knobbly vegetable with flesh like a potato and the flavour of celery. It darkens on cutting, so keep in water with lemon added when preparing.

Chicken Pie
600g chicken breast or thigh fillets
60g butter
3 rashers bacon,
chopped 1 medium (350g) leek, sliced
200g mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons plain flour
1½ cups (375ml) chicken stock
¼ cup (60ml) cream
2 teaspoons grain mustard
1 tablespoon chopped chives or tarragon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup frozen peas and corn mixture

Celeriac Mash
2 medium (1.2kg) celeriac (see Cook's Note)
1kg Pontiac, desiree or washed potatoes
50g butter, chopped
½ cup (125ml) hot milk
salt and ground white pepper

Method
For the mash

• Steam, boil or roast the celeriac and potatoes, separately, until soft. Drain well.
• Mash vegetables until smooth (or for a silky result, use a mouli or ricer). Stir in the butter and milk, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
  

Chicken pie
Preheat the oven to moderately hot (200°C/180°C fan–forced)

• Chop chicken coarsely.
• Melt 20g butter in a large frying pan; cook bacon, leek and mushrooms over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until bacon is golden and the leek and mushrooms tender. Transfer to a large bowl.
• Cook chicken and garlic in same pan until browned and almost cooked. Add to leek mixture. Melt remaining butter in a small pan, add flour; cook, stirring, until the mixture bubbles.
• Gradually stir in the stock, bring to the boil; simmer, stirring, until thickened. Stir in cream, mustard and chives. Season to taste. Add sauce and peas and corn to chicken mixture.
• Spread into a greased, shallow 23cm square or round ovenproof dish (or similar).
• Top with mash and place in oven.
• Bake uncovered in oven until hot and the topping starts to brown, around 10 minutes.

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