Marinated Red Deer Ragout
| 2 packs Diced Red Deer |
| 1 Onion |
| 1 Parsnip |
| 1 Carrot |
| 2 Stalks Celery |
| 1 Garlic Clove |
| 1 Bay Leaf |
| 10 Black Peppercorns |
| 10 Pimento seeds |
| 6 Dried Juniper Berries |
| 2 Stalks Thyme |
| 1ltr Red Wine |
| 3 tbsp Olive Oil |
| 1 tbsp Tomato Puree |
| 1 tsp Cornflour |
| Salt and Pepper |
| Fresh Nutmeg |
Begin the night before by marinating the meat. Rinse the meat briefly under cold running water and place in a large, non-metallic container. Add all the ingredients up to and including the red wine, cover with a lid and leave to marinade for up to 12 hours in the fridge.
Drain all the ingredients, reserving the vegetables and marinade and separating the meat which should then be patted dry. Heat the oil in a large lidded braising pan over a high heat and sear the meat in three batches until lightly browned. Remove and set aside.
Add the reserved vegetables to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes, then add the tomato puree and cornflour and cook until all the liquid had evaporated. Return the meat to the pan and deglaze with a little of the reserved marinade before slowly bringing to the boil. Skim off any foam that appears on the surface, cover with the lid and simmer for 60-70 minutes.
Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and transfer to another pan. If necessary reduce the sauce until it thickens then pour through a sieve over the meat. Bring to the boil and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste.
Tip: If the meat is still hot, reheat the sauce before pouring over the meat.
