Illustration: Sinae Park
Photograph: Robert Billington
Now spring has decided to appear, here is a badly timed recipe from our NEARLY SOLD OUT sandwich issue. There are a few still available in our shop. But here’s a little taste…
Photographs: Robert Billington
Pie Barms
Recipe by Helen Graves
This is a 50/50 combo of homemade and shop-bought components. Making your own barms isn’t necessary, but it is easy to do and feels more authentic (if you’d like them ‘well-fired’ increase the cooking time by 10 minutes or so).
We’ve also provided a top-notch gravy recipe, made using plenty of roasted chicken wings and wine – it really does make all the difference. We drew the line at the mushy peas and pies however: their mass-produced consistency brings something essential to this sandwich.
Makes 6 barms
Mushy peas
Meat pies such as Pukka or similar (1 per sandwich)
Butter
Barms
Gravy
1kg chicken wings
2 whole bulbs garlic
3 carrots
3 onions
3 sticks celery
1 bouquet garni of 1 thyme sprig, 2 bay leaves, 1 rosemary sprig, tied with string
6 black peppercorns
200ml white wine
4 tablespoons plain flour
1 tablespoon Marmite
Dash Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons cornflour
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Preheat the oven to 180C.
Combine 2 sticks celery, 2 carrots, 2 onions and the garlic bulbs in a roasting tray and place the chicken wings on top. Roast for 30 minutes, remove the garlic, then roast for a further hour.
Remove the wings from the tray and set the tray aside without washing it.
Combine the wings, remaining carrot, onion and celery, bouquet garni and peppercorns in a stock pot and cover with 2 litres of water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 3 hours, skimming off scum.
Strain the liquid, pressing down to extract it all.
Place the roasting tin from earlier on the hob over medium-low heat. Add the wine, allowing it to bubble up while you scrape up any bits from the base of the pan. Add the flour, then mash in the garlic and add the Marmite, Dijon and Worcestershire.
Begin adding the stock, whisking all the time. Once it’s all used up and bubbling, thicken to the desired consistency with the cornflour, removing a little of the gravy
to loosen the cornflour to
a paste before adding it to the gravy. Check the seasoning before serving.To assemble the sandwich, split the barms and spread with warmed mushy peas. Top each with a pie and plenty of gravy before closing the sandwich. Good luck eating this one with your hands.
Let us know if you make one pls!
Holly, Helen and Rob
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