Chicken, leek and tarragon pie

Serves 4-6 For the filling, you will need: 1 whole chicken A sprig of tarragon Salt and freshly ground black pepper 15g butter 3 whole cloves of garlic, peeled 1 carrot, cut in chunks 2 onions, peeled and halved For the roux, you will need: 25g butter 25g plain flour For the sauce, you will need: 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon water 3 medium leeks, trimmed, halved lengthwise, and cut into slices ½cm thick 250ml cream 1 generous tablespoon chopped tarragon For the topping, you will need: 1.25kg fluffy mashed potato (see recipe, far right) 1 Preheat the oven to 160°C, 325°F, Gas 3. Next, put a casserole pot or heavy saucepan on a medium heat and allow it to get warm. Pat the chicken dry all over with kitchen paper, then put the tarragon sprig in the cavity and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. 2 Drop the butter into the pot, allow it to melt and foam, then put the chicken, breast-side down, on top of the butter and cook it for a few minutes until it is golden brown. While the chicken is browning on the breast side, add the garlic cloves, the carrot chunks and the onion halves around the side of the pot. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then carefully turn the chicken over so that the golden breast side is facing up. Season again with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. 3 Transfer the pot to the preheated oven and cook the chicken and vegetables for about 1 hour and 20 minutes to 1 hour and 50 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken. When the chicken is cooked, the legs will feel loose, and the juices from the underside of the thigh will run clear, not pink.