All this cold weather of late has inspired me to post a great winter-warmer
Venison Casserole a la DQ
Ingredients
500g lean boneless venison, cubed
2 tbsp fine oatmeal
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
600ml decent Beer - If you don't like beer, try a half-decent Red Wine instead
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
3 juniper berries, crushed - REMEMBER to crush them, or someone is going to get a nasty surprise
2 good pinches of allspice
150g baby shallots, peeled
250g baby carrots, scrubbed and trimmed
250g baby parsnips, scrubbed and trimmed
1 baguette (French stick)
100g canned or vacuum-packed cooked chestnuts
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 160C/gas 3. Toss the pieces of venison in the oatmeal to lightly coat, then shake to remove any excess.
Heat the oil in a heavy flameproof casserole dish and quickly cook the venison until lightly coloured. Transfer to a plate. Add the chopped onions to the casserole and cook gently over a low heat, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes until softened and golden.
Add the beer (or wine), thyme, juniper and allspice plus a little seasoning to taste, and bring to the boil, stirring constantly.
Stir in the shallots, whole baby carrots and parsnips plus the venison and any meat juices. When the liquid comes to the boil, cover the casserole and put into the oven. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until the meat is really tender.
Towards the end of the, cut the baguette into slices about 2.5cm thick and lay on a baking tray. Bake for about 15 minutes until they are lightly brown and crisp.
When the meat is cooked, stir in the chestnuts, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Arrange the toasted bread on top of meat and vegetables and cook uncovered for a further 5 minutes. Serve hot, in the casserole dish, with a MASSIVE spoon:)