Pollo Tonnato Adapted From Darina Allen Recipes

POLLO TONNATO ADAPTED FROM DARINA ALLEN

Steps:

• Step 1 First, make the Tonnato sauce:
• Step 2 Wash the capers and anchovies and pat dry. Put all the ingredients for th sauce in a food processor with a little pepper and whizz until smooth. Put it into a bowl, cover and set aside in the refrigerator.
• Step 3 Next, pan-grill the chicken breasts:
• Step 4 Generously season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then brush with oil. Heat a grill pan to medium high then cook the chicken for 8 to 10 minutes on each side or until the chicken is cooked through. Set aside to cool in the refrigerator.
• Step 5 Finally cook the green beans and assemble the salad:
• Step 6 Trim the beans. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, add salt and cook the beans for 3 to 4 minutes or until tender but still al dente. Drain, refresh under cold water and spread on a plate to dry. Put a few salad greens on each place and scatter some beans over the top. Slice each chicken breast into 5 or 6 pieces, place on top of the salad greens and cover the chicken with the sauce. Garnish with capers, anchovies and a few olives and sprigs of parsley.

DARINA ALLEN'S SHEPHERD'S PIE

Steps:

• Cook the duck: Heat oven to 400 degrees. Season duck generously with salt and pepper. Place in a roasting pan in one layer. Scatter with onion, carrot and celery, thyme sprig, bay leaf and allspice, then add broth and wine (liquid will not cover). Roast, uncovered about 30 minutes, until skin has browned nicely. Turn legs over, cover pan tightly and return to oven. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees. Cook 1 hour, or until meat is quite tender when probed with a fork.
• Remove legs from pan and set aside to cool on a baking sheet. Pour liquid from roasting pan into a measuring cup. There should be about 3 cups; add broth if necessary. Spoon off any rising fat (save if you wish for another use). When duck meat is cool enough to handle, pull it off the bones and roughly chop, discarding gristle and skin. (This step may be done up to 2 days in advance, if desired.)
• Make the filling: In a wide, heavy skillet or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onion, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until softened and beginning to color, about 5 minutes. Add flour, stir well to coat and continue cooking until mixture is a nutty brown, about 5 minutes more. Slowly whisk in 2 cups of the braising liquid, whisking well as mixture thickens and reducing heat to a simmer. Taste and add more liquid as needed until you have a medium-thick gravy. Adjust the seasonings to taste. Off the heat, carefully fold in chopped duck meat and parsley. Transfer mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or 4-quart casserole.
• Meanwhile, make the topping: Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Add potatoes and parsnips. When water returns to the boil, adjust heat to a brisk simmer and cook until completely tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain in a colander, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid. Return potatoes and parsnips to pot and mash with 6 tablespoons butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper, thinning with a little cooking liquid if mixture seems dry.
• When ready to bake, heat oven to 350 degrees. Drop large spoonfuls of the mash evenly over filling. Use a knife or spatula to spread mixture until it evenly covers the top. Cut the 2 tablespoons butter into small chunks, dot over the top, and sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake until bubbling at the edges and well browned on top, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool at least 10 minutes before serving.