Chicken pot pie

Shake salt, sugar, poultry seasoning, garlic powder and black pepper together for the dry brine and rub the whole chicken evenly.

Cure the bird in the fridge for as little as 12 hours, preferably 24.

Lay the chicken backs and feet on a sheet tray and roast at 450F, 230C for 25 to 30 minutes, just to open up the flavour, not to brown them hard.

Scrape the tray and its fond into the pot with water, add three kilos of water and slow cook about eight hours.

Strain the stock and chill it.

Slow roast the dry brined bird at 285F, 140C for two and a half to three hours, until the skin is rendered and golden.

Check doneness in the leg, about 175F, breast about 165F, then rest 30 minutes.

Medium dice the onion, celery, carrot, potatoes, leek and fennel; mince the garlic.

Pulse flour, salt and thin sliced butter in a food processor about 15 seconds until pebbly.

Add sour cream and the egg and spin 25 to 30 seconds until it comes together into a golden dough.

Knead lightly about 15 seconds to a cohesive mass without developing gluten, wrap and chill about 20 minutes.

Preheat the Dutch oven over medium high, melt the stick of butter and add onion, garlic, celery, carrot, leek and fennel with a strong pinch of salt.

Sweat five to six minutes to release moisture and soften.

Add the potatoes and sweat another three to four minutes.

Stir in the flour quickly and cook the raw edge off for two to three minutes, stirring a lot so it does not brown.

Add the dry sherry and cook about a minute to drive off the alcohol.

Stir in 900 g of chilled stock, drop to medium low, bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook 15 to 20 minutes until the potatoes smash easily.

Cut a 125 g piece of dough, roll it into a ball in the palms, press flat with a plate and roll with a rolling pin to about an eighth of an inch.

Trace around the ramekin leaving a one inch buffer for crimping.

Stir the frozen peas and all the pulled chicken meat into the filling.

Taste and finish with two strong pinches of salt, black pepper and a gram of minced fresh thyme.

Fill the ramekin most of the way, egg wash the rim and sides, lay on the crust and pinch it all the way round to seal.

Cut two slits for steam, wash the whole top liberally with egg wash and set the ramekin on a sheet tray.

Bake at 400F, 205C for roughly 25 minutes until the crust is well browned.

Rest at least 10 minutes before eating.