This slow cooked dish of venison and chestnut stew really captures the taste of winter.
Ingredients
- 1kg stewing venison, cut into pieces
- 30g plain flour, seasoned
- 4 tbsp oil
- 100g bacon, cut into fat strips
- 2 onions, halved and thinly sliced
- 500ml fresh beef stock, hot
- 1 tsp tomato purée
- 100ml ruby port
- Leaves from 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1/2 tsp juniper berries, crushed
- 200g peeled, cooked chestnuts
- Chopped fresh parsley, to garnish
Method
- 1. Preheat the oven to 150°C/fan130°C/gas 2. Toss the venison pieces in the flour and shake off the excess. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a casserole and brown the meat in batches. Remove to a plate.
- 2. Add the remaining oil and bacon and cook until golden. Add the onions and cook for 15 minutes, until browned. Stir in the remaining flour, stock, purée, port, thyme and juniper. Bring to the boil and stir.
- 3. Add the venison, season and stir well. Cover with foil and a lid and cook in the oven for 11/2 hours. Uncover, stir in the chestnuts and simmer for 20 minutes to thicken the sauce. Garnish with parsley and serve with mashed potato.