Venison casserole

Rich and satisfying, the flavours in this dish develop further after cooking – and the same is true when you reheat it after freezing and defrosting.

SERVES 4-6

1kg (2¼lb) stewing venison

3tbsp seasoned flour 2tbsp oil

25g (½oz) butter

1 large onion, roughly chopped

2 sticks celery, roughly chopped

2 carrots, roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 bay leaf

100ml (3½fl oz) red wine 500ml (16fl oz) beef stock 4 or 5 sprigs fresh thyme 1 sprig rosemary

35g (1oz) dried cranberries 1tbsp redcurrant jelly 400g (14oz) baby chestnut mushrooms 200g (7oz) wild or chestnut mushrooms, halved

1 Toss the meat in the flour. Heat the oil in a large, wide pan, brown the meat in batches, remove and set aside.

2 In the same pan, melt the butter, then add the onion, celery and carrots, and cook for around 6-8 mins, or until lightly browned. Add the garlic and bay leaf and cook for another 2 mins, stirring often.

3 Add the wine, let it bubble for 1 min, then add the stock with 100ml water. Return meat to the pan, add thyme, rosemary and cranberries, bring to the boil and reduce to a simmer. Allow to cook (covered) for a further 3hrs 15 mins, or until tender.

4 Stir in the redcurrant jelly and add the mushrooms to the pan for the last 5-10 mins of cooking time. Check the seasoning, then allow to cool before freezing. Defrost and reheat. Serve with some buttered new potatoes and chopped parsley.