James Martin Venison Casserole Recipes

VENISON CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2.
• On the hob, heat the olive oil and butter in a large lidded casserole dish. Add the onions and cook until softened, but not browned.
• Add the garlic, bacon and mushrooms and cook for a further minute.
• In a frying pan, brown the venison a handful at a time and add to the casserole. When all the meat is browned, add the red wine, water, stock cubes, redcurrant jelly and salt and pepper.
• Bring to the boil and stir well. Put the lid on the casserole and place in the middle of the oven - cook for 90 minutes.
• Remove from the oven. Make a paste with the cornflour and two tablespoons of water. Add as much of the paste to the casserole as is needed to thicken the sauce - add a little at a time if you are not sure how much you will need.
• Transfer the casserole to the hob, and, on a low heat, cook until the gravy has thickened - this will take about five minutes.
• Serve with new potatoes and wilted spinach. Decorate each plate with a sprig of rosemary or thyme and a bunch of fresh redcurrants.

SUCCULENT BRAISED VENISON

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Fry the vegetables in a little oil and butter in a heavy-based casserole for 4-5 mins until golden. Tip in the garlic and fry for a further min, then set aside.
• Put the venison into a plastic bag with seasoned flour and shake to coat. Add a little more oil and butter to the pan, then fry the venison over a high heat, stirring now and then, until well browned. Don't crowd the pan - cook in batches if necessary. Set aside with the vegetables.
• Add the redcurrant jelly and wine to the pan, and bring to the boil, scraping up all the bits that have stuck to the bottom. Pour in the stock, then add the thyme, bay leaf, meat and vegetables. Season if you like and bring to the boil. Cover and transfer to the oven for about 1½ hrs or until tender. Remove from the oven and check the seasoning.

VENISON STEAKS WITH STROGANOFF SAUCE & SHOESTRING FRIES

Steps:

• To make the sauce, heat 1 tbsp of the butter in a large frying pan, tip in the onion and cook over a low heat for about 10 mins until soft. Add the garlic and mushrooms, increase the heat and fry until all the liquid has evaporated.
• Meanwhile, heat enough oil to come 4-5in up the sides of a large saucepan. When hot, add the chips and cook, in batches, for 3-5 mins until golden. Remove and drain on kitchen paper, but keep the oil hot.
• Add the paprika, tomato purée and flour to the mushrooms, cook for 1 min then add the brandy, if using, and leave to bubble away for a further 1-2 mins. Be careful as the brandy may set alight. Pour in the beef stock and set over a high heat to reduce by half. Stir in the soured cream and parsley, then season. Keep the sauce warm while you cook the venison.
• Heat the remaining butter in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Season the venison and cook for 3 mins on each side for medium-rare, depending on the thickness of the meat. Remove from the pan and leave to rest, loosely covered with foil.
• Tip the fries back into the hot oil and cook for a further 2-3 mins to crisp up. Drain and season with salt. Serve the steaks with the sauce poured over and a pile of fries on the side.

VENISON WELLINGTON

Steps:

• For detailed step-by-step images to help with creating your wellington, visit our guide page. Firstly, dry the venison with kitchen paper, then season well. Heat the oil in a frying pan and sear the meat all over for about 8 mins. Brush with mustard, leave to cool, then chill for 20 mins. Reserve any juices for the gravy.
• Melt the butter and soften the shallot and garlic. Add the mushrooms, herbs and seasoning, and cook for 10 mins until you have a paste-like mixture. Add the brandy and cook until it's evaporated. Leave to cool.
• Overlap 2-3 sheets of cling film on a clean surface and lay the prosciutto in 2 rows, slightly overlapping each slice. Spread the cooled mushroom paste all over the prosciutto, creating a thin, even layer.
• Place the fillet in the centre of the mushroom mixture. Using the edge of the cling film, carefully draw the layer of prosciutto and mushroom around the meat.
• Roll into a sausage shape, twisting the ends of the cling film as you do, to form a tight log. Chill for 30 mins to firm up.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry to a rectangle a little larger than a magazine, and trim the edges to neaten.
• Carefully unwrap the prosciutto parcel and lay in the middle of the pastry.
• Fold over the bottom half of the pastry. Lightly brush the rest of the sheet with beaten egg.
• Roll the whole thing around the meat to encase. Neatly fold under the shorter edges to create a parcel.
• Transfer to a baking sheet and, using your hands, smooth the pastry around the meat, pressing it firmly to avoid any air being trapped. Brush the pastry all over with beaten egg yolk.
• Chill for at least 30 mins or up to 24 hrs. Then, using the back of a knife, mark the pastry, being careful not to cut all the way through. Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7.
• Lightly oil a non-stick baking tray and heat until hot. Put the wellington on the tray and bake for 30 mins (35 mins for well done). Remove from oven, brush with extra egg and rest for 20 mins.
• To make venison gravy, melt a large knob of butter in a medium pan, add 1 finely chopped shallot, 1 crushed garlic clove and 1 thyme sprig, and cook until soft. Add 1 tbsp flour, brown for about 1 min, then pour in 250ml Port and reduce by two-thirds. Add 400ml beef stock and any reserved juices from the venison, then reduce again by two-thirds until syrupy. Season, add 1 tbsp redcurrant jelly, if you like, and strain before serving.