This whole meal is true comfort food. The gin complements the venison along with the herbs and spices to create a fragrant and rich gravy. Coupled with the creamy butterbean and parsnip mash and sautéed Swiss chard, this recipe will give you a huge cwtsh on a cold day.
CASSEROLE INGREDIENTS
Oil
2 Onions
500g Venison, cut into chunks
3 Carrots
3 Cloves of garlic
A couple of tablespoons of flour
60ml Sloe gin
1 Pint of good quality beef stock
A sprig of rosemary
A couple of bay leaves
1 Tablespoon of juniper berries
Salt and pepper
BUTTERBEAN AND PARSNIP MASH
2 Tins butterbeans
Olive oil
2 Garlic cloves
1 Large parsnip
Salt
A little lemon juice
SAUTÉED SWISS CHARD
Large bunch Swiss chard
Oil
Salt and pepper
METHOD:
Venison Casserole - Fry the onions in some oil until soft, around 5 minutes. While the onions fry, place the flour with some salt and pepper in a large sandwich bag and add the venison. Close the top of the bag and shake to coat the meat. Remove the meat and add to the onions in the pan, shaking any excess flour off before adding. Whilst the meat browns, prepare the carrots and garlic then add them to the pan. Add the gin, stock and herbs. Give everything a good stir and bring up to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for 1½–2 hours on the hob or in an oven pre-heated to 140°C / Fan 120°C / Gas mark 1. The casserole is ready when the meat is tender. Taste to check the seasoning and serve with butterbean and parsnip mash and sautéed Swiss chard.
Sautéed Swiss Chard – Chop the chard, removing any hard pieces of stem. Heat the oil in a pan then add the chard and some seasoning. Stir continuously until wilted and serve immediately.
Butterbean and Parsnip Mash – Peel and chop the parsnip and cook in salted water with the garlic until tender, then drain. Put the parsnip back into the saucepan along with the beans and around 6 tablespoons of oil and cook on low, mashing everything together until it’s roughly mashed. Taste to check the seasoning and add a little lemon juice and salt if needed. Serve immediately.
Beca Lyne-Pirkis
Bwyd Beca My Food by Beca Lyne-Pirkis and Cwmni Da (Gomer Press), £16.99
