Game Recipes
Haltwhistle Roe Venison Pie
with red currant jelly and Black Velvet Durham porter.
Ingredients
1.5k)of stewing venison on the bone cut into large joints (i.e. shoulder, shin, and neck)
1 kg) of stewing venison of the bone plus one kilo of venison bones
(3) large carrots peeled and roughly chopped
(1 ½) onions peeled and chopped
(1/2) head of celery washed and chopped
.5kg of large field mushrooms broken up
.5kg) head of garlic sliced through the middle
1 Large bunch of sweet herbs tied with string i.e. thyme marjoram, bay leaves and rosemary.
1) pints or 1 litre of Durham black velvet Porter/Guiness
Enough chicken or light beef stock to cover
Maldon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
A little vegetable oil for frying
Pastry
(.5kg) kilo of strong plain white flour.
.25kg)shredded beef suet
1) teaspoons of baking powder
1) teaspoons of salt
1) teaspoons of mustard powder
1) teaspoons of picked thyme leaves
Enough cold water to make a dough approx ½ a litre
Method
Using a little oil, brown the joints of meat in a large frying pan till well browned. Add the vegetables and herb bundle towards the end. Deglaze with beer and allow to evaporate. Cover with stock, (I use my own venison stock) bring to boil, season the liquid and cover tightly with tin foil. Place in an oven at 180 centigrade or until the meat is falling off the bone.
Once the meat is cooked take it out of the liquor using a sieve, reserving the vegetables and liquor. Shred the meat into large chunks. Add the reserved vegetables and season to taste. Place the reserved liquor in a pan and reduce over a high heat, skimming off any scum that appears. Reduce until the sauce is of a strong flavour adding a little redcurrant jelly to sweeten.
Making the pastry.
Mix all dry ingredients together then add enough water to make a firm dough. Roll out onto a floured surface to ½ cm thickness. Line a 12 inch quiche ring with the pastry allow it to hang over the sides. Cover the pastry with cling film and fill with baking beans. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 till pastry is cooked. Remove from oven and remove cling film. Pack the pastry case with the meat and vegetable mix adding a little of the gravy to moisten. Roll out enough pastry for the lid ½ cm thick. Dampen the edges of the pasty with water and place the lid on top crimping with fingers. Cut to fit.
After brushing the top with a beaten egg, bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 for 45 mins till pastry is slightly risen and browned.
Allow to rest for 15 mins before serving.
Serve with creamy mashed potato and a green vegetable, in season, lightly seamed and the reserved sauce.
