Now we’re well into winter, I am craving comfort food. I’m not the biggest fan of roast dinners, but at this time of year, I just want warming meals. Over Christmas I didn’t end up cooking much at all – which was nice, but now we’re into the New Year, I want to make some new things and experiment with some flavours. Pie is one of my favourite comfort meals to have. There’s just something about it – they’re so flavoursome and filling. And who doesn’t enjoy pie?

I’ve made quite a few in my time and they’re always so tasty because I just cook the meat for hours to ensure all the flavours are balanced and have layers. I got some diced venison for the pie filling as I wanted to do a bit of a twist on a classic – everyone has had a steak and mushroom pie before. But you rarely see a pie using game meat. I just do a pastry topped pie, rather than an encased one.

I cooked this for 6 hours on the hob, before transferring to a pie dish. It serves 4 and was super easy to do!

Prep time: 10/15 minutes.

Cooking time: 6+ hours.Ingredients:

• 500g Diced venison meat
• 1 brown onion diced.
• 1 tsp lazy garlic.
• 2 carrots finely diced.
• 2 sticks of celery diced.
• 250g chestnut mushrooms diced.
• 6 rashes of streaky bacon roughly cut.
• Bunch of fresh thyme.
• Bunch of fresh rosemary.
• 750ml red wine.
• 2 rich beef stock cubes.
• 1 tbsp tomato puree.
• 1 tbsp brown sugar.
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar.
• 1 tsp dijon mustard.
• 1 tsp horseradish.
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce.
• 1 tbsp dried mixed herbs.
• Salt and pepper to season.
• 375g ready rolled puff pastry.
• Plain flour.

Method:

1. Season the plain flour and coat the venison in it. Heat some oil up in a large frying pan and brown off the venison. Set to one side.
2. Fry off the bacon in the same pan and add it to the venison for later.
3. In a large casserole pan, fry the onion, garlic, mushrooms, carrot and celery in butter on a medium heat. Cook for 10 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
4. Add the venison, bacon, the thyme, rosemary and mixed herbs, along with the Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar and sugar. Stir thoroughly and cook on a low heat for 5 minutes.
5. Turn the heat up high and add the mustard, horseradish, seasoning, tomato puree, and red wine. Cook on high for 15 minutes.
6. Add the beef stock cubes and turn down to the lowest heat.
7. Cook for 5+ hours, stirring occasionally.
8. When you’re happy with the texture of the meat and flavour, transfer to a pie dish and allow to cool for 1 hour.
9. Top the meat with the puff pastry and brush with a beaten egg.
10. Cook on 180 degrees for 25 minutes.

I served mine with homemade chips, but you can put it with anything!Enjoy!