Chicken and Mushroom Vol-au-vent

You’ll Need:

# 1 lb. (450g) puff pastry
# 5lb. (2.25kg) chicken and giblets, washed and cleaned
# 1 small onion, skinned
# 1 carrot, peeled
# 8 oz. (225g) mushroom, washed and sliced
# quarter pint of single cream
# 1 chicken stock cube
# half a pint (280ml) milk
# 2 oz. (50g) butter
# 2 bay leaves

Procedures : # Put the chicken and giblets into a large saucepan then add bay leaves, salt, pepper, onion and carrots
# Add water, cover the saucepan and cook over a gentle heat for one and a half to two hours or until the chicken is tender
# Heat the oven to 450F, Gas Mark 8, 240C
# On a lightly floured surface roll out the pastry to half to three quarters of an inch (1-1.5cms) thick
# Cut out an 11 inch (28cm) round and put on a baking sheet
# Cut a 9 inch (23cm) round in the center of the pastry, this time only cutting nearly through the pastry and brush the trop with milk
# Cook in the middle of the oven for about 45 minutes, until the pastry is well risen
# Allow to cool on a wire rack then cut out the lid
# Carefully scoop out the uncooked pastry from the middle
# Take the chicken out of the stock and cut the meat into manageable chunks
# Save half a pint(285ml) of chicken stock for the filling
# Place the butter in a saucepan and heat gently until it melts
# Add the flour, stir and cook for about 2 minutes then stir in the chicken stock and milk
# Crumble the chicken stock cube, add to the pan and bring to the boil while stirring
# Reduce the heat, add the mushrooms and stir for a further 10 minutes before stirring in the chicken and cream
# Place the vol-au-vent casing on a serving plate, fill with the chicken and mushroom filling and gently replace the li