Venison and prune casserole

Serves 6 For the casserole 1.5kg haunch of venison (or braising steaks) diced into 5cm chunks 2 x 300ml glasses of red wine 1 tbsp thyme leaves 150g butter 3 large onions, roughly chopped 200g smoked streaky bacon, sliced 2cm thick 2 sprigs of rosemary, chopped 60g plain flour 2 large carrots, sliced into 2cm discs 250g prunes, roughly chopped 5 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced 1 litre beef stock 3 bay leaves For the mash 1.8kg King Edward potatoes 250g chestnuts (the cooked ones in a vac pack), roughly chopped 200ml milk To serve Watercress and cranberry jelly 1 Marinate the venison overnight in 300ml of wine and the thyme. 2 The next day, preheat the oven to 150C/gas 2. 3 In a heavy-based pan, heat a third of the butter and gently fry the onions, bacon and rosemary for 10 minutes. 4 Tip the meat into a colander over a bowl in the sink, saving the marinade, and season well. Set the marinade aside and scatter the flour on the meat and toss lightly. 5 Set aside the oniony-bacon mix, leaving the bacon fat in the pan. Add the meat to the pan and fry on a medium heat, stirring regularly. 6 Add the carrots, prunes and garlic and fry until you can smell the garlic. Tip the onions and bacon back in and pour in the second glass of red wine and the leftover marinade. 7 Bring to the boil, then pour in the stock to submerge the meat. Season, add the bay leaves, then cook in the oven for 2½ hours. The meat is done when it is very tender but still holding its shape. 8 About 45 minutes before serving, put the spuds on the boil and drain and mash when soft. Melt the rest of the butter in the milk and warm the chopped chestnut pieces in it before stirring them into the mash. Season well. 9 When the stew is cooked, let it sit out of the oven with the lid still on for at least 15 minutes. Skim off any excess fat and season to taste. 10 Serve in shallow bowls with the mash, a handful of watercress and a little blob of cranberry jelly. • Based on a recipe from Allegra McEvedy's Colour Cookbook (Kyle Cathie, 2006)