Chicken and Ham Loaf

Cut a 1 inch slice off the top of the loaf and carefully pull out the soft bread inside. Use for making bread crumbs. Leave 1/2 inch inner lining of bread to preserve this shape. Melt 4 Tbsp of the butter and brush this on to the loaf inside and out. Replace the lid and put the loaf on a baking tray and bake for 10 mins at 400 Deg F. Leave to cool. Cook the onions in the remaining butter until soft, add the mushroom and cook for further 2 mins. Stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper. Mix together the bacon, ham and 3 Tbsp of bread crumbs, stir in thyme and season to taste. Press half the ham mixture well down into the loaf case, cover with half the onion and mushroom mixture. Arrange the chicken on top and cover with the onion mixture and a final layer of ham mixture. Replace the lid and wrap the loaf in foil. Bake in the oven at 375 F for 45 mins. Serve the loaf hot or cold, cut into thick slices.