Method:

1. Begin this the night before by placing the meat in a large bowl along with the bay leaves and thyme. Pour the Guinness and port all over it, place a plate on top of the meat (to keep it pushed down into the marinade as much as possible) and leave in a cool place overnight. The next day stir everything well.
2. When you are ready to cook the meat pre-heat the oven to gas mark 1, 135°C. Take a large flameproof casserole dish with a lid, add half the butter and oil to it and heat gently.
3. Drain the meat (reserving the liquid and herbs) and dry a few pieces at a time on kitchen paper. Turn the heat up high then add these few pieces to the pan to brown them (if you add too much meat in one go it will release too much steam and not brown sufficiently). As soon as they are browned remove them and continue until all the meat is browned.
4. Now add the rest of the butter and oil to the pan and as soon as it foams, and bubbles add the chopped onions and garlic to brown these for about 10 mins.
5. Return all the meat to the casserole dish. Stir in the flour to soak up all the juices, then pour in the marinade (including the bay leaves and thyme) add the redcurrant jelly and season well with salt and pepper.
6. As soon as it reaches a gentle simmer, put a lid on, transfer the casserole to the middle shelf of the oven and forget all about it for 3 hours, by which time the meat will be tender and sauce marvelously dark and rich.
7. We suggest serving with traditional braised red cabbage and puree of potato & celeriac with garlic.

Method:

1. Heat the olive oil in pan and add garlic, chilli, oregano and half of the diced onion.
2. Cook for a few minutes then add the tinned tomatoes and crumble in stock cube, then leave to simmer.
3. To make the meatballs, mix the other half of the onion, the venison, the beaten egg, and the plain flour together. Wet your hands to stop the mixture sticking, then mould the balls. The mixture should make roughly 12 meat balls.
4. Brown the meatballs in a frying pan, then add to the simmering sauce to cook through. This should take around 10 minutes.
5. Serve with crusty bread or pasta

Venison and Stout Pie (serves 4)

Ingredients

• 4 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 Kg Venison Haunch cut into chunks
• Knob of Butter
• 2 Onions
• 1 Large Carrot
• 1 Large Celery Stick
• 1 Tbsp Plain Flour, plus extra to dust
• 1 Tsp English Mustard Powder
• 500ml Stout Beer
• 3 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
• 2 Tbsp Red Current Jelly
• 1 Whole Nutmeg for grating
• 4 Sprigs of Fresh Thyme
• 500g Block Puff Pastry
• 1 Large Egg, mixed with a little milk
• 4 x 350ml Pie Dishes

Method:

1. Heat the oven to 180◦C/ 160◦C fan/ gas 4. Heat 2 Tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan and brown the meat in 2-3 batches. Set each batch aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp more oil and the butter in a large casserole, add the onions and some salt and pepper and fry over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the carrots and celery and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in the flour and mustard powder, then cook stirring for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the browned meat to the veg, then add the stout, vinegar, jelly and a good grating of nutmeg, the thyme, and some seasoning. Stir, cover with the lid then cook in the oven for 1 ½ hours. Uncover then cook for 1 hour until more tender. Take out and leave to cool.
4. Turn the oven up to 200◦/180◦C/gas 6. Divide the cooled pie filling among the dishes. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface to the thickness of a £1 coin, then cut out circles 2.5cm larger than the dishes.
5. Lay the pastry over the filling then leaving a slight overhang, crimp the edges and use the edge of a fork to seal the edges well. Brush pie tops with the beaten egg and milk, then make a hole in the middle of the pastry to let steam escape.
6. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the pastry is a rich hazelnut brown. Serve with mash and greens.

Method:

1. Gently cook the onion & garlic in 1tbsp oil until really soft. Cool for 10 mins, then tip into a bowl with the finely chopped dill, 1tbsp of wholegrain mustard, venison, breadcrumbs & egg with 1tsp salt & ½tsp ground black pepper. Squeeze together with your hands creating your meatballs.
2. Heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan & fry the meatballs in small batches until well browned—add a splash more oil if needed towards the end. Set aside the meatballs in a dish.
3. Add the butter to the pan & fry the mushrooms over a very high heat until the juices have evaporated and the mushrooms are turning golden. Lower the heat & stir in the paprika & flour for 1 min.
4. Stir in the stock & brandy, & bring to a simmer, scraping up any bits stuck in the pan. Lift out the mushrooms with a slotted spoon to a dish. Boil the sauce for 3mins, then stir in the remaining 1tbsp wholegrain mustard, the Dijon mustard, tomato puree & soured cream. Simmer the sauce until it has reduced & is a good consistency (anything up to 15mins). Return the meatballs & any juice & simmer gently until they are cooked through, and season to taste, plus a pinch of sugar if needed. Scatter with the remaining dill & eat with buttered tagliatelle, rice or sautéed potatoes.