How To Make: Stalker’s Pie

Less popular than a classic Shepherd’s or Cottage Pie, Stalker’s Pie uses slowly braised venison, combined with garlic, carrots, and onions in a tomato and red wine sauce, topped with mashed potatoes. But although venison is becoming increasingly popular, Stalker’s Pie is still rare to find in restaurants. This Stalker’s Pie recipe is best served with a slice of crusty bread and seasonal vegetables – delicious.

Ingredients

Serves 4

For the pie mix

• Venison mince, 500g
• Venison stock, 450ml, (use chicken or beef if trouble sourcing)
• Onion, 1, diced
• Celery, 1 stick, diced
• Garlic, 2 cloves
• Thyme, 2 Sprigs, leaves picked down and roughly chopped
• Chestnuts, 250g, (cooked – vac packed or tinned), roughly chopped
• Button mushrooms, 125g
• Tomato puree, 1tbsp
• Butter, 50g
• Flour, 50g
• Red wine, 250ml
• Redcurrant jelly, 1tsp
• Salt and Pepper
• Cooking Oil

For the topping

• Potatoes, 800g, (a high starch potato like Desiree will make the best mash)
• Butter, 100g
• Double cream, 50ml
• Salt and Pepper

Method

1. Heat a large heavy based pan, add oil and then fry the onion, celery, garlic and thyme for 3-4 minutes, transfer out of the pan to a plate, now turn the heat to full power add a splash more oil and brown off the venison mince.
2. Once the meat has good colouration all over add the tomato puree and tip back in the onion, celery etc. Cook for 2 minutes then add the butter, mushrooms and flour, mix well before adding the wine.
3. Reduce by two thirds then add the stock, chestnuts and redcurrant jelly, cook on a low heat, stirring often until the mix is thick and rich in flavour, about 45 minutes. Season to taste and put into a dish.
4. For the mash potato topping; peel, chop and boil the potatoes in salted water until soft, drain well before mashing, add the butter and cream and beat in until the mash is creamy and rich. Then, spoon (or pipe using a star shaped nozzle) the mash onto the mince, this is easier if the mince is cold, place into a hot oven on 220c until golden brown on top.

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Stalker’s Pie

Using braised venison, Stalker's Pie is delicious but less popular than Shepherd's or Cottage pie.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Global

Keyword Pie

Author TLE Recipes

Ingredients

• Venison mince, 500g
• Venison stock, 450ml, (use chicken or beef if trouble sourcing)
• 1 Onion diced
• 1 stick Celery diced
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 2 sprigs Thyme leaves picked down and roughly chopped
• 250 g Chestnuts (cooked – vac packed or tinned), roughly chopped
• 125 g Button mushrooms
• 1 tbsp Tomato puree
• 50 g Butter
• 50 g Flour
• 250 ml Red wine
• 1 tsp Redcurrant jelly
• Salt and Pepper
• Cooking Oil

For the Topping:

• 800 g Potatoes, 800g, (a high starch potato like Desiree will make the best mash)
• 100 g Butter, 100g
• 50 ml Double cream, 50ml
• Salt and Pepper

Instructions

• Heat a large heavy based pan, add oil and then fry the onion, celery, garlic and thyme for 3-4 minutes, transfer out of the pan to a plate, now turn the heat to full power add a splash more oil and brown off the venison mince.
• Once the meat has good colouration all over add the tomato puree and tip back in the onion, celery etc. Cook for 2 minutes then add the butter, mushrooms and flour, mix well before adding the wine.
• Reduce by two thirds then add the stock, chestnuts and redcurrant jelly, cook on a low heat, stirring often until the mix is thick and rich in flavour, about 45 minutes. Season to taste and put into a dish.
• For the mash potato topping; peel, chop and boil the potatoes in salted water until soft, drain well before mashing, add the butter and cream and beat in until the mash is creamy and rich. Then, spoon (or pipe using a star shaped nozzle) the mash onto the mince, this is easier if the mince is cold, place into a hot oven on 220c until golden brown on top.

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