We thought we would reproduce some of the competition winning recipes here because they may be missed (in Recipes and Tips).

CARBONADE OF VENISON
Ingredients (Serves 6)


Ingredients:

2.5 lbs of Casserole Venison (Our diced product is ideal)
3 medium onions
2 cloves of garlic
Olive Oil or Dripping - depending on how healthy you want to be
1 Dessertspoon of brown sugar
2 Tablespoons of plain four
½ pint of beer
¼ pint of stock
Bouquet garni
Freshly ground black pepper
4 crushed juniper berries
1 teaspoon malt vinegar
¼ " thick slices of French Bread
Whole grain mustard

Method

Slice onions and crush garlic with a little salt. Take the diced meat, and add to smoking oil or dripping in a heavy based pan or casserole. Fry the meat in batches until browned. Remove and keep warm, lower the heat the gently fry the onion. When softened, stir in the brown sugar.

Return the meat to the casserole, and sprinkle with flour. Stir in and cook for a few minutes. Add the garlic, beer, stock, vinegar, bouquet garni and juniper berries. Blend well whilst bringing to the boil, and then cover and place in the oven for 2 - 2 ½ hours - if preferred, you could simmer slowly on top of the cooker, although you do need to transfer to a casserole dish for the next step.

Take the slices of french bread and spread wholegrain mustard on each slice, placing mustard side up on top of the casserole. They will float if you have a lot of gravy - don't worry! Then bake off in the oven for another 20 minutes or so. The whole dish will keep warm and not spoil for hours.


ANGOSTURA MINCE COBBLER


Ingredients: 500g Minced Venison
1 large onion, peeled and sliced
2 carrots, peel and diced
Half a Pint of Beef Stock
1.5 tablespoons Angostura Bitters
1 tablespoon tomato puree
Salt and Freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons of cornflour

Scone Topping :

175g (6 oz) Self Raising Flour
40g (1.5 oz) Butter or Margarine
Salt & Pepper
Half a teaspoon of Dried Mixed Herbs
1 Egg, beaten
2 Tablespoons of Milk
Few sesame seeds (optional)

Method


Fry the venison gently in pan, adding a couple of drops of oil if necessary. Add onion and carrots and continue cooking for a few minutes. Add the stock, Angostura Bitters, tomato puree, salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Blend the cornflour with a little cold water, add to the pan and cook until thickened. Turn into a casserole, cover and cook in a preheated oven on 180 degrees C, 350 degrees F or Gas Mark 4, for 20 minutes.

For the scone topping, sift the flour into the bowl and rub in the fat until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add salt and pepper, and stir in the herbs. Bind together with egg and sufficient milk to give a softish dough. Pat out the dough on a floured surface to about 1/2" thick and cut into 1 1/2" rounds. Remove the casserole from the oven, increase the temperature and arrange the scones in an overlapping circle around the top of the casserole. Brush with milk and sprinkle with sesame seeds if you have them. Return the casserole to the oven and bake uncovered for about 20 minutes or until the scones are golden brown and risen well. Serve at once.

This recipe will also work with other types of mince

SPICY WINTER VENISON CASSEROLE (A real winter warmer, this one!)

Ingredients (Serves 6)

1000g Diced Venison (2 x 500g)
50g Plain Flour, Seasoned
Olive Oil
225g Baby Onions (8oz)
3 Garlic Cloves (crushed)
2 tbsp Sun Dried Tomato Puree
125ml Red Wine Vinegar (4fl oz)
1 Bottle of Red Wine
2 tbsp Redcurrant jelly
Few Sprigs of Fresh Marjoram
4 Bay Leaves
2 tbsp Tabasco Sauce
6 Juniper Berries
600 ml or 1 Pint of Beef Stock
450g or 1llb Celeriac, into chunks
450g or llb turnips, cut into chunks

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C (or Gas 4) and toss the meat in seasoned flour. Heat some oil in a large heavy casserole pan and brown (if necessary in small batches). Remove and set aside. Add some more oil and brown the baby onions. Remove, keep to one side, and add the garlic and onion, which need to be cooked for about 5 minutes.

Now stir in the tomato puree, cooking slowly, and add the vinegar and wine and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the jelly, marjoram and bay leaves. Return the meat to the casserole and add the stock, bringing to the boil and then simmering for about an hour.


At this point, remove the meat from the casserole, strain the liquid and return to the pan. Add the meat, with the baby onions, celeriac and turnips. Bring back to the boil, cover and cook in the oven another 45 minutes. Spicy, rich and warming - perfect served with a jacket potato split with fresh butter and parsley.