BACON CUTTER RECIPES

1. Preheat the oven to 220C. Line 2 baking trays with non-stick baking paper.

2. Use a round 9cm pastry cutter to cut out 12 rounds. Place 4 rounds on a lined tray and use a round 6cm cutter to mark a small round in the centre of each, without cutting through. These are the bases.

3. Place the remaining pastry rounds on the other lined tray and use the smaller cutter to cut out the centre of each to make rings of an even thickness.

4. Brush the outer ring of each pastry base with egg wash, taking care not to brush the sides or the pastry won't rise properly. Carefully place a pastry ring on top of a pastry base. Brush the top of the ring with egg wash and place another ring on top. Repeat with the remaining bases, egg wash and rings. Refrigerate for 15 minutes or until well chilled. Brush the top ring of each pastry with egg wash, avoiding the sides.

5. Bake for 20 minutes or until puffed and golden. Remove any uncooked pastry from the centre and bake for 5-10 minutes or until the bases are golden and crisp. Cool on a wire rack.

6. Place the chicken and stock in a small saucepan. If the chicken isn't covered, add a little extra stock or water. Add the bay leaf and thyme and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 4-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside for 10 minutes or until the chicken is just cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate and reserve the cooking liquid. Use 2 forks to shred the chicken and place in a medium bowl.

7. Heat the oil in a medium non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook, stirring, for a further 3 minutes. Add the shallot, season well and then mix into the chicken. Return the pan to the heat, add the wine and cook until reduced by half, then add the reserved cooking liquid. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the cornflour mixture and cream and stir until thickened. Remove the herbs. Add the chicken mixture and heat through. Season to taste. Spoon into the pastry cases and serve warm, sprinkled with spring onion.

1. To start the dumplings, roughly chop the bacon and place in a large frying pan on a medium-low heat to crisp up while you wash, trim and finely slice the leeks.
2. Stir them into the pan with 1 tablespoon of oil, then cook for 15 minutes, or until soft and sweet, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
3. Meanwhile, for the stew, peel the onions, trim the celery, then roughly chop both and place in a large, wide casserole pan on a medium heat with 2 tablespoons of oil (or even better, use turkey dripping to intensify the flavours).
4. Add the herb sprigs and bay, and cook for 15 minutes, or until soft but not coloured, stirring regularly. Stir in the mustard and flour for 2 minutes, then gradually stir in the stock to make a nice thick sauce.
5. Crumble in the leftover stuffing and turn the heat off. Scoop out and discard the herb sprigs and bay leaves, then shred the turkey or chicken meat, stir it into your stew, taste, and season to perfection.
6. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6.
7. Place the flours in a large bowl. Dice and add the butter, then use your thumbs and forefingers to rub the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs.
8. Make a well in the middle, pour in the buttermilk, then gradually mix into the crumbs, bringing them in from the outside. Stir in the cooled leeks and bacon until just combined, but don’t overwork it – we want the dough as light as possible.
9. Gently roll it out on a clean flour-dusted surface until 2cm thick, then use a 5cm fluted cutter to stamp out as many round dumplings as you can, re-rolling and using up any offcuts – you should get at least 12 from this amount.
10. Brush the dumplings with beaten egg, then sit them on top of the stew.
11. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the dumplings are risen and golden and the stew is blipping and bubbling away nicely. Delicious with simple steamed greens.

1. To start the dumplings, roughly chop the bacon and place in a large frying pan on a medium-low heat to crisp up while you wash, trim and finely slice the leeks.
2. Stir them into the pan with 1 tablespoon of oil, then cook for 15 minutes, or until soft and sweet, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
3. Meanwhile, for the stew, peel the onions, trim the celery, then roughly chop both and place in a large, wide casserole pan on a medium heat with 2 tablespoons of oil (or even better, use turkey dripping to intensify the flavours).
4. Add the herb sprigs and bay, and cook for 15 minutes, or until soft but not coloured, stirring regularly. Stir in the mustard and flour for 2 minutes, then gradually stir in the stock to make a nice thick sauce.
5. Crumble in the leftover stuffing and turn the heat off. Scoop out and discard the herb sprigs and bay leaves, then shred the turkey or chicken meat, stir it into your stew, taste, and season to perfection.
6. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6.
7. Place the flours in a large bowl. Dice and add the butter, then use your thumbs and forefingers to rub the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs.
8. Make a well in the middle, pour in the buttermilk, then gradually mix into the crumbs, bringing them in from the outside. Stir in the cooled leeks and bacon until just combined, but don’t overwork it – we want the dough as light as possible.
9. Gently roll it out on a clean flour-dusted surface until 2cm thick, then use a 5cm fluted cutter to stamp out as many round dumplings as you can, re-rolling and using up any offcuts – you should get at least 12 from this amount.
10. Brush the dumplings with beaten egg, then sit them on top of the stew.
11. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the dumplings are risen and golden and the stew is blipping and bubbling away nicely. Delicious with simple steamed greens.