Venison Pie with Thyme and Cassis
Tony Borthwick is a self-taught chef from Yorkshire who opened his own restaurant, The Plumed Horse, in Crossmichael in the Borders in 1999, after many years working his way up the restaurant ladder in London and Glasgow. Previously employed by the Yorkshire Water Authority, Tony decided to follow his passion for cooking after a serious accident prompted him to change his career.
Tony was awarded a Michelin star in 2001, and since then has many acclaims to his name, including being the 2002 Scottish Newcomer of the Year in the Good Food Guide, and being Scottish Chef of the Year in 2005.
In 2006 he relocated his award-winning restaurant to Henderson Street in Edinburgh’s Leith. The restaurant (sadly now closed) was, in its heyday, awarded a Michelin Star and 3 AA Rosettes.
Ingredients
500 g Osso Bucco of Venison (you can also use Haunch, Shoulder or
other cheaper cuts. I prefer to use Roe Deer, but you can get Red
easier)
300 g Shortcrust Pastry
120 g Shallots, chopped
100 g Celeriac, diced
100 g Carrot, diced
25 g Garlic
2 Fresh Bay Leaves
1 Large Sprig Thyme
10 Juniper Berries, bruised
500 ml Venison Stock, made from the bones in the conventional way
200 ml Red Wine, preferably something robust, such as a Bordeaux
50 ml Crème de Cassis
Method
Trim the meat of all sinew and fat. Seal in a heavy pan until browned well, remove from the pan and reserve in a bowl.
Brown the vegetables in the same pan, add the Bay,Thyme and Juniper. Add the red wine to deglaze the pan.
Put
the meat and the vegetables with the wine and the stock into a large
casserole dish. Simmer gently until scum rises to the top. Skim it off
with a spoon. Keep on skimming until the mixture will release no more
scum.
Transfer to the oven and cook at a medium heat for two hours, or until the meat is tender.
Remove
the meat from the liquid and put it into a container – do not allow it
to dry out! Pass the liquid through a fine sieve and discard the herbs
and vegetables. Reduce by two thirds, or until it starts to take on a
syrupy consistency.
Add the Cassis, adjust the seasoning with salt
& freshly ground white pepper, bring back to the boil and pour back
over the meat.
Roll out the pastry, cut four lids to fit four
individual pie moulds. Line pie moulds with the remaining Pastry,
allowing some to hang over the sides. Paint the inside with a beaten egg
and place in the oven for five minutes. This will seal it and stop the
meat and sauce making the pastry soggy.
Remove the pastry cases and
allow to cool. Fill with the meat, and a little of the sauce, and a few
thyme leaves. Stick the pie lids on with the beaten egg, leaving a hole
in the centre of each one to allow steam to escape and to fill with
sauce when cooked.
Brush the top of the lids with the egg, put into a
medium oven for 20 minutes, or until the pastry is cooked. Remove from
the moulds, paint the whole pastry case with egg and return to the oven.
This will make the pastry a nice golden colour. Remove from the oven
and put onto warm plates.
Fill the pies with the remainder of the sauce from a jug, serve with seasonal root vegetables.
