| 1 | This is comfort food. |
| 2 | If you"ve lots of time, follow the recipe as given; the sauce will be rich and the chicken will be tender and moist. |
| 3 | But if time is short, use a ready-cooked chick- en and tetra-pack chicken stock and steam or boil the vegetables. |
| 4 | It is important to use white-fleshed sweet potato to make what is essentially a scone topping. |
| 5 | Put a no 10-13 chicken in a large saucepan. |
| 6 | Cover with water, add a third of a tablespoon of dried tarragon (or a table- spoon of fresh), a pinch of salt and bring to the boil. |
| 7 | Reduce heat immediately to a gentle simmer, skim off foam and poach gently until the chicken is just cooked. |
| 8 | About 1 hour. |
| 9 | Twenty minutes before the end of cooking time add 200 g diced carrots and 5 minutes later 2 large leeks, sliced, and 200 g peas. |
| 10 | When chicken is cooked, drain off stock into another saucepan and boil hard to reduce for 10 minutes. |
| 11 | Cool stock fast by sitting the saucepan in a sinkful of cold water, then transfer to the freezer to set the fat so it can be skimmed off skin the chicken, remove the meat from the bones and chop. |
| 12 | Put the chicken and vegetables in a souffle or oven dish. |
| 13 | Melt 50 g butter or margarine in a saucepan and add 3 tablespoons plain flour to make a roux. |
| 14 | Add 250 ml chicken stock and 200 ml milk and cook gently, stirring, until the sauce thickens. |
| 15 | Add more stock if too thick. |
| 16 | Pour over the chicken mixture. |
| 17 | Meanwhile cook and mash 250 g white-fleshed sweet potato and allow to cool. |
| 18 | Sift together 125 g plain flour, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon baking powder. |
| 19 | Rub in 125 g softened butter. |
| 20 | Add a little water if necessary to make a soft dough. |
| 21 | (or process the ingredients in a food processor, adding the water if necessary). |
| 22 | Tip onto a floured surface and with floury hands pat it out to fit inside the top of the dish containing the chicken and vegetables. |
| 23 | Place on top of the chicken mixture. |
| 24 | Bake in a 180 c oven for about 45 minutes or until the top is golden |
