Cubed venison 900g Flour for coating Olive oil Root vegetables 900g Onions 2 small, chopped Celery 4 sticks Bay leaves 4 Butter 1.5 tbsp Game or meat stock 1.5 l Tomato puree 4 tsp Chopped tomatoes 2 x 400g tins Red wine 2 glasses Salt and pepper For the dumplings: Self raising flour 225g Beef or vegetable suet 115g Salt and pepper Onion 1, finely chopped Fresh thyme 4 tbsp, chopped Parsley handful, chopped Cold water

Lightly coat the venison in seasoned flour and fry in olive oil over a high heat to brown. Add the mixed vegetables, onions and celery and fry for a few more minutes. Add in the garlic, bay leaves, butter and stock and bring to the boil. Cover with a lid and transfer to the oven and cook at 160°c/gas 3 for an hour. Remove and add the puree, tomatoes and wine. Season and stir then place back in the oven for a further 90 minutes. To make the dumplings, mix all the ingredients together and add the water, a little at a time, until the mixture is bound but not sticky. Roll into 8 balls. Place the dumplings in the casserole and cook for the final 40 minutes.

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Mains

Venison casserole with thyme dumplings

This warming venison recipe is the perfect winter supper

Chris Hicks of The Catherine Wheel in Marshfield shares his recipe for rich venison casserole with fresh thyme dumplings

www.thecatherinewheel.co.uk

Serves 8

You will need

Cubed venison 900g
Flour for coating
Olive oil
Root vegetables 900g
Onions 2 small, chopped
Celery 4 sticks
Bay leaves 4
Butter 1.5 tbsp
Game or meat stock 1.5 l
Tomato puree 4 tsp
Chopped tomatoes 2 x 400g tins
Red wine 2 glasses
Salt and pepper

For the dumplings:

Self raising flour 225g
Beef or vegetable suet 115g
Salt and pepper
Onion 1, finely chopped
Fresh thyme 4 tbsp, chopped
Parsley handful, chopped
Cold water

Method

Lightly coat the venison in seasoned flour and fry in olive oil over a high heat to brown. Add the mixed vegetables, onions and celery and fry for a few more minutes.
Add in the garlic, bay leaves, butter and stock and bring to the boil. Cover with a lid and transfer to the oven and cook at 160°c/gas 3 for an hour.
Remove and add the puree, tomatoes and wine. Season and stir then place back in the oven for a further 90 minutes.
To make the dumplings, mix all the ingredients together and add the water, a little at a time, until the mixture is bound but not sticky. Roll into 8 balls. Place the dumplings in the casserole and cook for the final 40 minutes.

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You will need

Cubed venison 900g
Flour for coating
Olive oil
Root vegetables 900g
Onions 2 small, chopped
Celery 4 sticks
Bay leaves 4
Butter 1.5 tbsp
Game or meat stock 1.5 l
Tomato puree 4 tsp
Chopped tomatoes 2 x 400g tins
Red wine 2 glasses
Salt and pepper

For the dumplings:

Self raising flour 225g
Beef or vegetable suet 115g
Salt and pepper
Onion 1, finely chopped
Fresh thyme 4 tbsp, chopped
Parsley handful, chopped
Cold water

Method

Lightly coat the venison in seasoned flour and fry in olive oil over a high heat to brown. Add the mixed vegetables, onions and celery and fry for a few more minutes.
Add in the garlic, bay leaves, butter and stock and bring to the boil. Cover with a lid and transfer to the oven and cook at 160°c/gas 3 for an hour.
Remove and add the puree, tomatoes and wine. Season and stir then place back in the oven for a further 90 minutes.
To make the dumplings, mix all the ingredients together and add the water, a little at a time, until the mixture is bound but not sticky. Roll into 8 balls. Place the dumplings in the casserole and cook for the final 40 minutes.