INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp olive oil
25g/1oz butter
2 onions, diced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
4 rashers smoked bacon, chopped
500g/1Ib 2oz chestnut mushrooms, halved
2.5kg/5½lb haunch or shoulder of venison, diced
½ bottle red wine
400ml/14fl oz water
2 beef stock cubes, crumbled
3 tbsp redcurrant jelly
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
50g/2oz cornflour
punnet redcurrants, to decorate
6 sprigs rosemary or thyme, to decorate
METHOD
- Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2.
- On the hob, heat the olive oil and butter in a large lidded casserole dish. Add the onions and cook until softened, but not browned.
- Add the garlic, bacon and mushrooms and cook for a further minute.
- In a frying pan, brown the venison a handful at a time and add to the casserole. When all the meat is browned, add the red wine, water, stock cubes, redcurrant jelly and salt and pepper.
- Bring to the boil and stir well. Put the lid on the casserole and place in the middle of the oven – cook for 90 minutes.
- Remove from the oven. Make a paste with the cornflour and two tablespoons of water. Add as much of the paste to the casserole as is needed to thicken the sauce – add a little at a time if you are not sure how much you will need.
- Transfer the casserole to the hob, and, on a low heat, cook until the gravy has thickened – this will take about five minutes.
- Serve with new potatoes and wilted spinach. Decorate each plate with a sprig of rosemary or thyme and a bunch of fresh redcurrants.
SERVING SUGGESTION
A dinner party or special occasion favourite especially over Christmas or new year. Simple and very tasty.
PREPARATION AND COOKING
Preparation time: less than 30 mins Cooking time:1 to 2 hours
Serves 8-10
