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Venison Casserole with Caramelised Quince.
Serves 4-6
Start this the night before to allow time for the meat to marinate.
Marinade
• 1 onion, thickly sliced
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 5 tbsp sunflower oil
• 6 juniper berries
• 1 slice of lemon
• 1 bay leaf
• 250ml red wine
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
•6 black peppercorns
Cut the venison into large cubes, trim
away any tough membrane or sinew.
Put into a bowl with the venison with
the onion and garlic then mix the rest
of the marinade ingredients in too.
Mix well, cover and leave to marinate
in the fridge overnight.
Caramelised quince
• 100g caster sugar
• 100ml cider vinegar
• 200ml water
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 whole star anise
• 2 quinces, peeled, cored and cut
into thick slices
• 50g butter
Once the casserole is cooked, take
out of oven and let it sit, lid on while
you make the caramelised quince.
Put the sugar in a small saucepan
with the cider vinegar and water and
dissolve over a low heat. Break the
cinnamon stick in half and add to
the pan with the star anise. Bring to
the boil, reduce the heat and simmer
for five minutes. Peel and core the
quinces and cut into quarters or
thick slices, Add to the pan and
poach until just tender, about 10
minutes. Drain the quinces and pat
dry with kitchen paper. Melt the
butter in a frying pan over a medium
heat and fry the quinces until golden.
Casserole
• 650g venison
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 100g button mushrooms, whole
or halved
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 30g butter
• 2 tsp plain flour
• 250ml chicken and veal stock
• Salt and pepper
Method
1. Heat the oven to 150°C/gas
mark 2.
2. Lift the venison from the
marinade and pat dry with
kitchen paper. Strain the
marinade, reserving the liquid but
discarding the aromatics.
3. Brown the venison in batches
in a spoonful of olive oil in a
flameproof casserole, transferring
to a bowl using a slotted spoon,
then deglaze the pan with a little
water or balsamic vinegar and
pour the juices over the browned
venison pieces.
4. To the casserole, add the onion in
a little butter until softened. Add
the mushrooms and garlic and
continue to cook for two minutes.
5. Stir in the flour and cook for a
minute. Remove from the heat
and gradually add the strained
marinade and stock, stirring to
keep the mixture smooth.
6. Return to the heat and stir
until boiling, again scraping the
bottom of the pan. Return the
browned venison to the casserole
and season with salt and pepper.
Cover and cook in the oven for
two hours, until the venison is
very tender. Check from time to
time to ensure it is not boiling
too vigorously; it should be very
gently simmering. Take out an let
sit, lid-on, 10 mins to cool a little.
7. Using a slotted spoon, lift the
cooked venison, mushrooms and
onion into a serving dish, cover
and keep warm. Boil the sauce
rapidly until reduced to a shiny
almost syrupy consistency and a
good concentration of flavour.
8. Adjust the seasoning of the sauce,
then pour over the venison,
mushrooms and onion and top
with the caramelised quinces.
To serve: mashed potatoes, polenta,
buttered cooked pasta, or even plain
brown bread and butter, or saffron
rice and a cucumber and yoghurt dip.
Plus roasted seasonal vegetables if
wished.
Original recipe by Leith's School of
Food and Wine, click HERE.