Vennison and Mushroom Pie

Method

Marinade the venison in wine overnight.

Strain off the wine and put to one side.

Sprinkle 30 g of flour on the venison.

Slice the onions and fry lightly until transparent.  Add the venison and fry quickly to seal the meat.

Put the meat into a saucepan or casserole and pour one bottle of Stout into the hot frying pan.  Reduce quickly.  Add this sauce to the venison together with the other bottle of Stout.  If necessary add a small amount of good beef stock to cover the meat.

Add thyme and seasoning to taste.

Wash and halve the mushrooms and add to the venison with the tomato puree.

Cook for approximately 1.5 hours either on the hob or in the oven.

Add the mustard.

Strain and transfer to a pie dish and allow to cool a little.  Add sufficient liquid and retain the rest as gravy.

Cover with pastry and brush with egg.

Bake at 200C or Gas Mark 6 until golden brown.

I doubt if my mother had ever had this before coming to stay one Christmas.  I picked up some Venison which I saw being sold at a local farm shop (Bob Collingham) and asked my mother "Now what shall we do with this?"  This recipe is what we came up with.

We served it with glazed carrots - boiled in a little water with sugar and butter.  Chopped parsley sprinkled on to serve (fresh parsley is best).  Scalloped Potatoes fried and lovely English Leaks.

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