I love venison, it is leaner than beef and a so much more flavoursome. We are lucky that there are a number of farm shops near us that sell it in season. Ocado also has it in the flash sales on occasion and I stock up the freezer. Its perfect for a dinner party or a cosy night in. Cooked slowly it is melt in the mouth delicious.
Venison stew with mushroom risotto
A warming, hearty stew served with a mushroom risotto
Equipment
- Heavy based casserole dish
Ingredients
Venison Stew
- 500 grams venison, cubed
- 3 tbsp gluten free flour
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 300 ml red wine
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 1/2 tsp juniper berries, crushed
- 250 grams mushrooms
- 100 grams chestnuts
- 300 ml beef stock
Risotto
- 1 onion, chopped
- 100 grams sliced mushrooms
- 300 grams risotto rice
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 litre mushroom stock from a cube is fine
- 1 handful chopped parsley
Instructions
Venison Stew
- Toss the cubed venison with the gluten free flour and a little salt and pepper
- Heat the sunflower oil in a heavy based casserole dish and brown the venison. Remove from the pan.
- Deglaze the pot with 150 ml of the wine.
- Add in one large, chopped onion, two chopped cloves of garlic, a tablespoon of tomato paste, 3 sprigs of thyme, 1/2 teaspoon of crushed juniper berries, (my favourite bit was crushing them, it made the kitchen smell of gin), another 150 ml of red wine and 300 ml of beef stock.
- Bring to the boil and return the venison to the pot.
- Turn the heat down and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Add in 250 g of mushrooms, quartered and 100 g of chestnuts. Cook with the lid off for a further 30 minutes still stirring occasionally.
- Make your risotto.
Risotto
- Fry the chopped onion in the olive oil until transparent.
- Add in your mushrooms and cook for a minute or two more.
- Stir in the risotto rice, stir until well coated and almost transparent.
- Add in 1 litre of mushroom stock.
- Simmer for 25 minutes stirring occasionally. You may need to add a little more liquid.
- Once the rice is cooked stir in a good handful of parsley and serve with the stew.