With the weather turning cooler, there’s nothing better to warm you up after a hunting trip than Chef Steven Paterson’s Winter Venison Stew Pie.

Ingredients

• 1kg venison, diced
• 6 cloves of garlic
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 3 sticks of celery, diced
• 1 leek, diced
• Rosemary, chopped
• Thyme, chopped
• 10 anchovy fillets
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• ½ cup red wine
• Beef stock
• Salt and Pepper

Method

Throughout this recipe, season as you go!

Toss the diced venison in a small amount of seasoned flour, then put a splash of oil in a hot pan. Add small amounts of venison meat at a time and cook until it has a good color. Place in a colander to drain, keeping the fat separate below.

After the meat has been browned, place the fat back into the same pan and begin sautéing the garlic and onion. Once browned, add the anchovies and tomato paste and allow to cook out for a few minutes, moving regularly to prevent burning. Add a splash of red wine to deglaze the pan and cook for a few moments.

Add the carrot, celery, leek, and herbs to the pan and allow to sweat for 15 minutes. Return the venison to the pan and cover with beef stock and the remaining wine. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a slow simmer for around 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally. Season to taste.

When the stew is ready and seasoned to your liking — I often add a splash of Worcestershire sauce and a tbsp of HP sauce — pour the mix into an ovenproof dish. Egg wash the side of the dish and then cover with a sheet of puff pastry. Seal the edges with the back of a fork and egg wash the pastry. Just before cooking, cut a hole in the pastry to allow the steam to escape. Cook at 390℉ for around 20 minutes or until the pastry has risen and is golden brown.

To serve, I like some baby carrots simply roasted in the oven and a dollop of creamy mash potato or a simple tossed green salad for lunch.