Venison stew

Tamara West

Fifteen minutes max and you will have this in the oven, leaving you free for other chores before dinner time.

Ingredients

400 g	Venison, diced (Main)
80 g	Pancetta, chopped
1	Onion, finely sliced
100 ml	Red wine, full flavour
1 can	Chopped tomatoes, in juice
200 ml	Beef stock, or thereabouts
1	Bay leaf
2 sprigs	Fresh thyme

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 160C. Heat a large heavy-based frying pan over a medium-high heat. Rub a little olive oil over the diced venison and brown on both sides. Transfer to a casserole dish.
2. Add the pancetta and cook until just starting to brown. Lower the heat, add the onion and cook until the onion is soft.
3. Pour in the wine, bring up to the boil and boil until the alcohol has evaporated. Pour in the tomatoes and beef stock, add the herbs and return to the boil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then pour over the venison. (The venison should be just covered with the sauce.) Place a disc of baking paper over the stew and place on a tight fitting lid.
4. Place in the oven and cook slowly until the venison is tender, about 2 hours.
5. Serve with mashed potato, plenty of steamed green vegetables and a bowl of lightly cooked carrots.

Kathy recommends

• If you have never made a stew using venison then have a go. It has a rich, mineral flavour once cooked, making it undeniably satisfying to eat.
• You can buy packets of venison alreadydiced at your supermarket and if not, ask atthe butchery to get them in.