Try this PieMinister recipe

More pie, please.  This one is called “Romany’s Lucky Ducky Pie” and is my favourite recipe is from the Pieminister Cookbook by
Tristan Hogg and Jon Simon. If you have sampled their wares, or just like a good pie, I highly recommend it. The recipes are quite tricky, but just clear the decks, open a bottle of wine, lash on some music and get stuck in. The results are fantastic.

Ingredients:

• 2 confit duck legs (definitely in Superquinn)
• 50g butter
• 3 shallots, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• ¼ small red cabbage (about 150g) shredded
• 2tbsp cider vinegar
• 150ml dry cider
• 2tbsp demerara sugar
• 2 star anise
• ½tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 Williams pears, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
• Salt and black pepper

For the topping:

• 500g floury potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 50g butter and 100ml double cream

Method

1. Melt the butter in a pan, add the shallots and cook gently for four to five minutes, until lightly coloured. Stir in the garlic and red cabbage, then add the vinegar, cider, sugar, star anise and cinnamon.

2. Bring to a simmer and cook over a medium heat for 20-25 minutes, until the butter and sugar start to caramelise the cabbage and the liquid reduces to a glaze.

3. Season with salt and pepper, add the pears and cook for about five minutes, until they are just tender but still holding their shape.

4. Remove the skin from the confit duck legs. You can either frighten someone by putting it on your face like Hannibal Lecter or put it in the oven to crisp up while the pie is baking and have a delicious nibble.

5. Shred the duck meat into the cabbage and then transfer the mixture to four individual pie dishes (one is fine too). Preheat the oven to 180c°.

6. For the topping: cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until tender, then drain well. Mash with the butter and cream and season to taste.

7. Top the pies with the mash, place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden.

Accompany with  pea and carrot veloute.

This is basically herby, buttery, velvety veg.

You will need:

• 40g butter
• 200g carrots (diced into pea-size. Stick with me here,it’s worth it)
• 1 ½ tbsp plain flour
• 300 ml dry cider
• 100 ml chicken stock
• A small bunch thyme, leaves chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 200g peas
• Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Melt the butter in a pan, add the carrots and sweat for about 5 mins until softened.

2. Stir in the flour, then gradually stir in the cider and stock.

3. Add the thyme and bay leaves, season and simmer for about 5 mins, then stir in the peas and cook for a couple of minutes longer.