600g game casserole meat
Or any boneless meat from pheasant, partridge, pigeon or duck, cut into bite-size pieces
200g Venison shoulder meat, cubed
2 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp dripping
2 onions, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
200g smoked lardons
200g mushrooms, sliced
75g dried wild mushrooms, soaked in 150ml warm water
200g chestnuts, peeled and sliced
250ml chicken stock
375ml red wine
1 bouquet garni
1 tbsp redcurrant jelly
1 egg
1 tbsp milk for beating with an egg
350g puff pastry (De-frost if frozen)
Toss the game meat and venison in seasoned flour.
Melt the dripping in a large, ovenproof casserole.
Add the floured meat and brown on all sides.
Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add the onions, garlic and lardons; sauté until lightly coloured.
Add the mushrooms, drained wild mushrooms (reserve their soaking water)
Add the chestnuts.
Sauté for a further 5 minutes.
Add the stock, wine, water from the wild mushrooms, bouquet garni, redcurrant jelly and meat.
Bring to a simmer and cover.
Cook gently for about 1 hour until the meat is tender.
Allow to cool.
Chill for 24 hours.
Preheat the oven to 220°C/gas 7.
Transfer the meat mixture to a deep, 30cm x 20cm pie dish.
Place a pie funnel in the centre.
Roll out the pastry to the thickness of a £1 coin (about 3mm).
Brush the top lip of the pie dish with water.
Press on a 2cm strip of pastry.
Brush with water.
Lift the rolled pastry and lay it carefully over the pie dish.
Press the edges to seal
Make a hole in the centre around the pie funnel
Trim the excess.
Brush the surface with the egg wash.
Cut out some decorative shapes from the pastry trimmings
Arrange these on the surface
Glaze them.
Put the pie in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, until the pastry is golden and the pie is cooked through.