Canteen and venison and ale stew, by Cass Titcombe
Cass Titcombe is the co-founder and executive head chef of Canteen restaurants.
INGREDIENTS
(Serves four) - 2tbs olive oil
- 1 medium onion, cut in 1cm dice
- 100g carrots, cut in 1cm dice
- 200g celeriac, cut in 1cm dice
- 500g boned haunch of venison, cut in 2-3cm dice
- 20g plain white flour
- 200ml pale ale
- 1tsp ground allspice
- Big pinch ground mace
- Big pinch ground ginger
- 2tsp tomato purée
- 1 garlic clove, chopped3 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
- Grated zest of 1 orange
- 500ml meat stock
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
METHOD
Heat up the oil in a heavy saucepan until hot. Add the onion, carrots and celeriac and sauté for 5-8 minutes to brown. Remove from the pan and put to one side.
Season the meat, then place in the hot pan - with a little extra oil added - and brown off for five minutes, turning the dice so all sides are well coloured.
To brown the meat without stewing, the dice should be in a single layer in the pan so, if necessary, brown in two batches. Sprinkle the meat with the flour and stir through.
Add the pale ale - we use pale ale made by Meantime brewery, which is based in Greenwich, London - along with the allspice, mace, ginger and tomato purée, and stir to mix. Bring to the boil, stirring occasionally.
Add the garlic, herbs, orange zest and stock together with the browned vegetables. Bring back to the boil, then cover the pan.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about two hours until the meat is tender.
Check the seasoning before serving.