Game Casserole with Herbs and Red Wine
Serves 6
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: One hour
Delicious rich, warm Winter dish which lends itself to delicious
accompaniments, as suggest below
Halve quantities to serve just 3-4
I have also made this by using my slow cooker, halved quantity, minus oil.
I simply threw in all the ingredients and set for 4 hours.
Just before serving, I adjusted seasoning and added a thickening agent and served with
chive and wholegrain mustard mash plus brussels sprouts.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 kg / 3 lbs cubed game mix (most supermarkets have this, or the butcher)
- 300g back bacon, diced (or use lardons) (optional)
- 2 x 300g packs of shallots, peeled ( also use banana shallots, peeled and halved)
- 200g pack button mushrooms
- Sea Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 bouquet garni
- 4 juniper berries, crushed in pestle and mortar
- 4 -5 fat cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- Olive Oil
- 1 bottle of good red wine
- Thickening Granules
- 4 tbs redcurrant jelly
AND THIS IS WHAT YOU DO......
- In a large heavy pan, heat some oil and then carefully brown the meat. When this is done, remove with a slotted spoon and put to one side.
- Reserve teh juices and fry the bacon, then add the shallots, adding back the juices as necessary.
- Return the meat and juices to the pan and add the garlic and herbs. Now add some seasoning, then pour over at least half a bottle of the wine, you can, of course, add as much as you like!
- Leave to simmer on top of the stove for about 40 minutes, checking the liquid levels and adding more wine as necessary.
- The gravy can now be thickened with thickening granules and this casserole, which can be made in advance, can be re-heated later.
- Add 3-4 tbsp red currant jelly and check the meat for tenderness after a further 15 minutes of gentle simmering.
- Serve with mounds of creamy mashed potatoes and brocolli, or Parsnips Molly Parkin or Pomme Dauphinoise and spiced red cabbage.