APPLE CIDER RECIPES

PORK AND CIDER CASSEROLE WITH SAGE DUMPLINGS INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp rapeseed oil

1kg pork shoulder, cut into thick cubes

1 large onion, chopped

4 large carrots, thickly sliced

2 celery stalks, thickly sliced

1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme

3 tbsp plain flour

250ml cider

400ml light chicken stock

2 Braeburn apples, peeled and roughly chopped

For the dumplings:

250g self-raising flour

125g cold butter

2 tbsp chopped fresh sage

2-3 tbsp iced water

METHOD

1 Heat half the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish, add the pork and cook over a high heat until browned all over – you’ll need to do this in batches. Set to one side as you go. Heat the remaining oil and add the onion, carrots and celery and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously.

2 Add the cider, stock and herbs and whisk in well. Bring to the boil, stirring as you go. Return the pork to the pan, add the apples, bring to the boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 1 hour or until the pork is tender and the sauce nicely thickened. Check the seasoning.

3 Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/Gas 5. To make the dumplings, place the flour in a bowl, season well and combine. Grate the butter over the flour, scatter with the sage and gently stir with a fork. Add the water and bring together to make a soft dough.

4 Spoon the dumplings over the casserole – you should get 6 good-sized dumplings out of the mix, or make them smaller if you prefer. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes until firm, golden and cooked through. Serve straight away.

CHEF’S TIP…

If you prefer to cook without the dumplings, simply add 700g halved new potatoes to the dish when you return the pork to the pan.

CHICKEN CIDER PIE INGREDIENTS

50g butter

1 large leek, halved and sliced

2 garlic cloves, chopped

250g mushrooms

40g plain flour

300ml medium dry cider

300ml chicken stock

500g roast chicken 

3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

100ml crème fraîche

375g ready-rolled puff pastry

1 egg, beaten

METHOD

1 Heat the butter in a large non-stick saucepan, add the leeks and gently cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook for a further 5 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in the cider and stock, bring to the boil, stirring as the sauce thickens. Simmer for 5 minutes.

2 Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan oven/Gas 6. Add the roast chicken and warm through for 2 minutes and then stir in the parsley and crème fraîche. Season to taste and then spoon into a 2-litre pie dish. Place a pie funnel in the centre.

3 Unroll the pastry and cut out the lid. Cut some of the remaining pastry into 2cm wide long lengths. Brush the rim of the pie dish with a little egg and lay lengths of the pastry all the way around the rim. Place the lid on top and press the sides down together with your fork or your fingers. Brush liberally with egg and bake for 20 minutes until golden and risen.

Know how…

Using a pie funnel allows the steam to escape without the filling bubbling over and allows the pastry top to crisp up nicely.

PAN FRIED CIDER PHEASANT INGREDIENTS

2 pheasants, jointed

2 tbsp rapeseed oil

400g shallots

400g Chantenay carrots, halved if large

2 garlic cloves, bashed

1 tbsp plain flour

300ml cider

300ml light chicken stock

2 bay leaves

3 tbsp chopped parsley

150ml crème fraiche

METHOD

1 Season the pheasant joints all over. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based pan and sear the joints all over until golden. Set to one side. Add the shallots, carrots and garlic to the same pan and cook over a medium heat until golden, adding a little more oil if needed.

2 Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Add the cider and stock and whisk until smooth. Bring to the boil, bubble for a minute or two, add the bay leaves and return the pheasant to the pan. Cover and cook for 45 minutes until cooked through, adding boiling water if needed. Season to taste, scatter with parsley and serve with mash and steamed kale.

APPLE AND LANCASHIRE CHEESE PIE INGREDIENTS

350g plain flour

175g cold butter, cubed

1 egg beaten

1 tbsp Demerara sugar

Filling:

400g Bramley apples, peeled, cored and finely sliced

600g Braeburn apples, peeled, cored and finely sliced

50g golden caster sugar

100g Lancashire cheese, crumbled

METHOD

1 Cook the sausages according to the pack instructions, slice and set to one side. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan, add the garlic and smoked paprika and cook very gently for 2-3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and tomato purée and cook for 5 minutes until it’s a thick, rich paste.

2 Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Add to the pan and stir in the stock, peppers and beans. Bring to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally until the rice is cooked and the beans are tender. Stir in the sausage, scatter with the parsley and serve straight away.

1 To make the pastry, rub the flour and butter together until it resembles fine breadcrumbs, or alternatively whiz in a food processor briefly. Add about 6 tbsp ice-cold water and gently bring together to make a firm dough. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.

2 Cut a third of the pastry off and set to one side. Shape the large piece into a round and then roll out thinly to fit the base of a lightly oiled 26cm pie tin. Roll out the remaining pastry into a circle large enough to cover the pie. Rest in the fridge again for 15 minutes.

3 Preheat the oven to 200^oC/180^oC fan/Gas 6. Combine the apples and sugar and then spoon into the prepared pastry tin. Scatter with the cheese and brush the edge of the pie with the beaten egg. Cover with the pastry lid and pinch the edges together.

4 Cut a couple of vents in the pie lid, decorate with any offcuts and brush with egg. Scatter with the Demerara sugar and bake for 30-35 minutes until golden. Allow to stand for 15 minutes before slicing and serving with cream or custard.

Chef’s tip…
If you love the subtle combination of cheese and apples in this pie then serve a few slices or chunks of cheese on the side