Some days all you want is comfort food! This rich and warming braised venison dish is wonderful in winter. It takes some preparation but is totally worth it.

Cook in: 2 hours

Serves: 8

Ingredients

2 carrots, roughly chopped

140g swede, roughly chopped

2 brown onions, finely sliced

3 celery sticks, roughly chopped

Rapeseed oil and butter, for frying

1 garlic clove, crushed

1kg diced venison

5 tbsp plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper

2 tbsp blackcurrant jam

400ml port

450ml beef stock

2 thyme sprigs

1 bay leaf

Method

Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Heat a glug of rapeseed oil and a knob of butter in a heavy based casserole until the butter has melted. Add the carrot, swede, onion and celery together and sauté together until golden. Add in the crushed garlic and cook for a further min, stirring well, then remove everything from the pan and set aside.

Put the venison into a large freezer bag with the seasoned flour and shake to coat. Adding a little more oil and butter to the pan, fry the venison over a high heat, until well browned. Set aside with the vegetables.

Add the blackcurrant jam and wine to the casserole dish, to de-glaze it. Bring the liquid to the boil, stirring up all the bits that have stuck to the bottom. Add the stock, herbs, browned meat and vegetables. Season with extra salt and pepper. Cover the dish and transfer it to the oven for about 1½ hrs or until the meat is tender.

Serve with creamy mashed potato.

Check out our other ideas for the ultimate comfort food here.