Venison Pie

This was a recipe of my grandmothers and I have made a few small tweaks to make it better. I made it for my Mother-in-law on Sunday night and she was well impressed, so a few points for me on the old ladies score pad.


Ingredients: -
0.5 kg of diced venison
150g button Mushrooms cut to the same size as the meat, (it is better to use wild mushrooms but these are not always available).
150g of chopped mixed peppers, (roughly chop them to about 1 to 1 1/2" pieces)
A little sunflower oil
1 large onion finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1/2 bottle of red wine
2 tea spoons Chinese 5 spice
2 tea spoons of English Mustard
2 tea spoons of brown sugar
2 tablespoons of corn flour
Knob of butter
1 large pack of Puff Pastry (I never make my own, it's better to buy it)
1 beaten egg to glaze the pastry

Method: -
1 - Heat the oil in a pan, and brown the meat, remove and drain.

2 - Place the drained liquid from the venison back in the pan and add the onions and garlic to soften. As the onions go transparent add the meat again.

3 - Add the mushrooms, peppers, the red wine mustard and Chinese five spice, and simmer for 40-60 Min's. This will allow the meat to become tender.

4 - Add a little water if required and mix the corn flour with a little water and add to the stew, add the sugar and salt and pepper to taste. Allow the mix to cool.

5 - Place the filling into a pie dish and cover with the puff pastry. Apply an egg wash to the pastry. I find folding the pastry round the corners of the pie dish helps when the pastry starts to shrink while cooking, I also use a pie funnel as it stop the pastry falling into the filling and going soggy.

6 - Cook in a pre-heated oven at 200 deg C / 400 deg F /Gas Mark 6 for 30 - 40 Min's, until the pastry is golden brown.

Serve Immediately. I find that this goes really well with mashed sweet potato.