Nichola Fletcher’s Venison Casserole

		Recipes for casserole can be adjusted according to your store cupboard, and may be light and simple, or rich and complex. This one has lots of ingredients to produce a dark, rich, sauce, but don’t worry if you don’t have them all; it will still be delicious. Serve it with roast potatoes and a carrot and a carrot mash laced with chopped fennel leaves.

Ingredients:

Serves 4
900g (2 lb) diced venison shoulder or haunch
250g (8 oz) diced root vegetables (carrot, parsnip, turnip, celeriac)
1 large onion
3 cloves garlic
Flour (optional)
250g (8 oz) stoned plums, prunes or apricots
300 ml (½ pt) red wine
150 ml (¼ pt) port or red vermouth
150 ml (¼ pt) stock or water
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons rowan or redcurrant jelly
8 juniper berries, crushed
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground ginger
Bunch of fresh herbs (thyme, fennel, rosemary)

Recipe:

Brown the root vegetables, onion and garlic, and place in a large casserole dish. If you prefer a thicker sauce, dust the venison cubes with flour. Brown the venison in batches over a fierce heat and it them to the casserole. with the plums, red wine, port, stock, balsamic vinegar, jelly, crushed juniper berries, spices, and fresh herbs. Bring to simmering point in a hot oven, then cover tightly and cook very slowly indeed at a low temperature (Gas 3, 160°C, 325°F) till tender, 2-2½ hours. Serve with roast potatoes and carrot and fennel mash.