Auld Alliance pie of venison and wild mushrooms in claret

Serves 6 Starters and mains

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Method

Trim the venison and cut into large cubes. Soak the dried mushrooms, if using them, for 30 minutes in just enough hot water to cover. Meanwhile, heat half the oil or dripping in a large casserole, add the onion, garlic, carrot and celery and cook for 5-10 minutes to soften. Stir in the bacon and fry with the vegetables until just beginning to brown.

Add the juniper, bay leaves and thyme, sprinkle in the flour, mix well, and set aside. Heat the remaining fat or oil in a large frying pan and fry the venison cubes quickly in batches until crusty and brown on all sides, adding each batch to the casserole dish. When they are all in, deglaze the frying pan with the wine, letting it bubble up and scraping in the sediment from the bottom of the pan. Pour over the meat and vegetables.

Add the soaked mushrooms with 150ml of their soaking water, and the fruit jelly. Season really well, and give the whole stew a good stir. Bring to the boil, simmer for 1½ hours or until the meat is tender. Leave overnight to cool.

The next day, spoon the stew into a 1.2 litre pie dish. Pick over fresh mushrooms, brushing off any soil. Stir them into the stew (there is no need to adjust the liquid as fresh mushrooms exude their own). Roll the pastry large enough to amply cover the top of the dish.

Cut a strip of pastry that will fit around the edge of the dish. Brush the edge of the dish with water. Press the pastry band on top. Dampen this in turn and cover the pie with the rest of the pastry, pressing the edges to seal. Trim the excess pastry, knock up the edges then crimp.

Roll out the trimmings and cut pastry decorations from it. Brush the top of the pie with beaten egg, position the decorations and glaze again.

Chill for 30 minutes and preheat the oven to 220˚C/425˚F/Gas 7. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the pastry is risen, crisp and golden brown.