The most popular of pies

Fancy a pie? Customers at Parson’s Green market certainly do. Little Jack Horner’s pie stall was voted customers' favourite in the LFM stall awards. So, what’s so special about them, apart from the squirrels that have been causing such a stir?

James, owner and chef at Little Jack Horner’s, has been selling very tasty pies through London’s farmers’ markets for two years. His first market was Parliament Hill in February 2010 and he now has stalls at five LFM markets across London.

He says, ‘I've always been passionate about British produce and traditional British food. Three years ago I decided that it was time to start my own food business and pies were the obvious choice for me. Everyone loves a good pie, but I wanted mine to stand out and satisfy everyone, which is why I sell potted pies in enamel tins topped with light, freshly-made flaky pastry that you bake at home. 

‘There’s only one layer of pastry on the top so what you don’t get is stodge. All the ingredients are seasonal and I source them directly from suppliers I know in the south east of England. My vegetables come from Ted’s Veg (always at Parson’s Green on Sundays) and the meat is all free-range from animals that have lived natural, happy lives. They’re given directly to me and I put them straight in a pie.

‘I’d say they’re the perfect ready meal if you’re too busy and don’t want to cook. You just pop them straight in the oven in their enamel tin and don’t have to worry about it until it’s ready to eat. The tins are recyclable so when you return the tin you get £1.50, £2 or £3 off your next pie, depending on the size.’

At the moment James is using hare, pheasant, rabbit, squirrels and venison as well as a delicious range of seasonal veg. His current recipes include

Slow-cooked hare with carrots, leeks, celery, juniper and cloves
Venison, roast shallot and mushroom
Squirrel, beer, prunes and pearl barley
Pheasant, butternut squash, sage, bacon and walnut
Chicken, bacon, leek, split pea and rosemary
Crown Prince pumpkin, spinach, cream and garlic

And making a comeback soon is the bestseller, the steak and ale, as well as a new rabbit, bacon, pea and mint pie. So why not pop down to Parson’s Green and try one for yourself?
You might even make them your Sunday night staple.
As for me, I'll no longer be slagging off pumpkins – long live the Crown Prince!

The Crown Prince pumpkin, spinach, cream and garlic pie

James' top pie-making tips
1. Slow-cooking is the key to stewing meat. Whatever poaching liquid you use for your
pie stew, bring it up to the boil and as soon as it starts bubbling, reduce the heat so that it's merely steaming and blipping with the odd bubble. If you do this, then with time (1-4 hours) any meat will fall off the bone.

2. Stews for pies taste better the following day - so prep in advance.

3. If stewing animals with many bones such as rabbit, it might be a good idea to poach the rabbit seperately to ensure no bones remain in the pie mix.  Then add the cooking liquor to the rest of the stew and add the meat at the end.

4. Season at the end of the stew to avert disaster.

5. After removing from the oven let your pie cool for 10-15 mins before eating.
It sounds obvious, but you can appreciate the flavour of food far better at a lower temperature.