There is plenty to choose from this month. Game is at its peak, as are mussels, oysters and scallops. In the farmers market root vegetables dominate, begging to be boiled and mashed with plenty of butter and black pepper. Fruit wise, apples, pears and quinces are pretty much it; so pies, tart and crumbles are your best bet.
With the chilly autumn evenings drawing in now is the time to lift the spirits with a rich and satisfying venison casserole. Cooked slowly for an hour or two, its wonderful aroma will fill the house, banishing the winter blues.
The trick to producing a deeply satisfying casserole is gentle cooking, which allows the meat to become tender and the individual flavours to develop and harmonise. Browning the meat first will intensify the flavour and improve the colour. Unlike many dishes reducing the wine first is not necessary, as the slow cooking will do that for you.
Serve the casserole with mashed potatoes, to soak up the rich sauce, or a puree of potato, swede and carrot. For something a little more interesting you could try rosemary infused celeriac mash. Peel and cube a large celeriac and simmer until soft with a tied bunch of rosemary and a few cardamom seeds. Drain thoroughly and remove the rosemary and cardamom. Mash in some butter and season generously.
Venison “Bourguignon” Casserole with Celeriac Mash – serves 4
- Pre-heat the oven to 160C
- Season 600g of diced venison and fry in a little oil in a hot pan until golden brown. Cook in batches if necessary.
- In a large pot sweat 300g of baby onions in butter until they begin to colour.
- Add 100g of streaky bacon lardons and 15 button mushrooms, which have been cut in half.
- Cook until browned then stir in a tablespoon of plain flour.
- Add the venison (and any juices) and 1 tablespoon of tomato puree. Stir to mix it all together.
- Pour in half a bottle of red wine and enough water to just cover.
- Bring to the boil and add a bouquet garni of thyme, bay and rosemary.
- Cover with a lid and cook in the oven for 2 hours – or until tender.
Seasonal Ingredients
Vegetables: Celeriac, sprouts, carrots, parsnips, turnips, beetroot, red cabbage, pumpkin
Fish: Mussels, cod, Dover sole, mackerel, oysters, plaice, sea bass, skate, turbot
Fruit & Nuts: Almonds, apples, brazil nuts, chestnuts, pears, quince, walnuts
Meat: Partridge, pheasant, pigeon, rabbit, snipe, venison