Venison Sausage Cassoulet

Venison Sausage Cassoulet

3 tbsp olive oil
8 Venison sausages
100g smoked bacon lardons
1 large red onion, peeled & cut into chunks
1 carrot, peeled & diced
2 garlic cloves
250g chestnut mushrooms, quartered
½ tsp dried mixed herbs
1 bay leaf (optional)

250ml red wine
2 tbsp redcurrant jelly
A good squeeze of tomato ketchup
2 tbsp Lea & Perrins
Sea salt flakes
Freshly ground black pepper
450ml beef stock
1 x 400g tin green lentils, drained & rinsed
1 x 400g tin cannellini beans, drained & rinsed

Our butchers take extra care to remove as much of the quality venison as they can from every carcass. Anything trimmed from loins or other joints is kept and either diced, or goes into our Venison and Old English Sausages. These make a delicious meal on their own, but this recipe from Rachel Green shows you how to elevate it into a totally delicious supper. Serves 4.

Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and brown the sausages on all sides.

Heat the remaining oil in a casserole dish, add the bacon lardons and fry for 2 minutes before adding the onion and carrot. Cook for a further 5 minutes until the vegetables are soft.

Add the garlic, mushrooms, mixed herbs and bay leaf (if using) to the casserole and cook for a further 3 minutes.

Next, add the red wine, redcurrant jelly, tomato ketchup and Lea & Perrins and season with a little salt and pepper. Add the beef stock and bring to the boil, stirring well. Add the lentils and cannellini beans and turn the heat down. Simmer very gently for 15 minutes, reducing the liquid by a third.

Add the sausages to the casserole dish, cover with a lid, and cook for a further 15 minutes adding a little water if necessary.

Taste, adjust the seasoning if necessary, and serve with the aligoté potatoes (recipe below).

Many thanks to Rachel Green and Eat Game, supported by BASC for this recipe.

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Aligoté Potatoes

These extra special mashed potatoes really are worth the extra effort and work perfectly with the sauces from the cassoulet.

1kg floury potatoes (such as King Edwards), peeled & cut into chunks
100g butter
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
100ml cream, warmed
500g Gruyère & Mozzarella cheese, grated
Sea salt flakes
Freshly ground black pepper

Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 20 minutes until tender. Drain and return to the pan and cover with a lid. Set aside for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the butter with the garlic in a frying pan over a very low heat.

Pass the cooked potato through a potato ricer into a large bowl or use a masher to mash the potatoes in the pan. Stir in the garlic butter, warm cream and cheese and season well. Beat with a whisk until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Serve immediately with the Venison sausage cassoulet.

Many thanks to Rachel Green and Eat Game, supported by BASC for this recipe.

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