Venison Casserole

 

I'm going to have to check the photos here, sorry I didn't write this up at the time (I was cooking this for my parents who were returning from a long trip).

1 pack of diced venison from the man on the market (probably 300-400g)
Flour
Olive oil
Butter
An onion
A carrot
2 sticks of celery
Half a vegetable stock cube (?)
A dozen (dried) juniper berries
Salt
Pepper

Despite appearance no garlic. The half a veg stock cube was because there was no beef stock cubes (which can be used judiciously with venison) and I had half a veg one left over. That diced is... well anyway I cut the largest piece so it's much the same size as the rest.

Heat a little olive oil in a casserole with a lid. Season some flour in a bowl, then coat the venison in flour. Fry off the venison until brown. I did two batches, so there was plenty of room in the pan and it didn't lose too much heat. Keep the left over flour, it may come in handy for thickening later. But remember it's been in contact with raw meat! Keep your food hygiene rules. I've changed copping boards between meat and vegetables even though they're all being cooked, that's how serious I am about this. You follow the rules even when you don't need to so they're instinct when you do need them.

While the venison is browning, peel and cut the carrot, clean and cut the celery and peel and cut up the onion. Crack the juniper berries if they're hard. When the venison is brown, take it out. Add a little more oil or butter if the pan seems dry (it probably will, venison is a lean meat and flour sucks up fat). Scrape most of the floury goo off the bottom so it doesn't stick, then put in the vegetables. Cook them until they are soft.

In goes the juniper berries and the crushed stock cube. Pour in hot water to cover the vegetables. Then stir back in the meat and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat to a simmer, cover, and leave for an hour, maybe more. Venison is, in this case, not precisely a tough meat, but it is one that keeps it's structure, so is not hurt by longer cooking and that lets the flavours mature. Alternatively cook it the day before, leave to cool overnight, then reheat to serve.

When it's getting towards time to serve up stir it and take a look at the gravy. if it's too thick (which it shouldn't if the lid fits, or even if it doesn't if you've simmered for an hour) then add a little more water. If it's a bit thing, you could turn up the heat, but we could make a roux with that left over flour. Mix a knob of butter with some of that flour so it's a soft sort of dough. Break it up over the casserole and stir it in. This should prevent the flour clumping, creating an evenly thicker gravy. You do need to give it another five minutes to cook through the flour so it doesn't taste floury, and you'll want to stir to prevent it sticking to the bottom, especially if you've turned the heat up.

Serve with baked potatoes and a green vegetable.