Chicken Vol-au-Vents

The Downton kitchen table is often laden with vol-au-vents, and it would be groaning were they not supposed to be lighter than air (the name means “fly in the wind”). Chicken is a classic filling, often mixed with mayonnaise or white sauce. This recipe, from Frederick Vine’s caterer’s manual, is more interesting than many, and has the added advantage of using small amounts of meat that could easily be carved off a roast or set aside from other more substantial dishes.