Mother's Day Venison Braised in Bordeaux with Lime Yam Mash.

Servings: 4-6

Level of difficulty: Intermediate

Preparation Time: 20 minutes, plus 30 minutes soaking

Cooking Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 25g butter or olive oil
• 1kg boneless venison, cubed
• 70g streaky bacon, (optional)
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 tbsp flour
• 1 tsp chopped sage leaves
• 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 400g prunes, soaked in 750ml warm water for 30 minutes
• 750ml soaking liquor, from the prunes
• 250ml Bordeaux Wine
• 4 Tomatoes
• 2 tblsp Alan Coxon's "Ale Gar"
• 1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the lime yam mash

• 1.5kg sweet potatoes or yams, peeled
• 1 tbspButter
• 75ml double cream
• ½ tsp Alan Coxon's Roman Vinaigre
• freshly ground salt and pepper

Method

1. To make the venison; heat a large heavy pan on a hob and add theButter or oil.

2. Lightly season the venison with Saltand black pepper, and place carefully into the pot. Add the bacon and gently brown all over.

3. Add the onion and cook over a moderate heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and mix well.

4. Sprinkle over the flour and stir well, cooking for a further 2-3 minutes as the flour absorbs the fats.

5. Add the sage, nutmeg and prunes and stir well.

6. Add all the liquids except the tomatoes. Bring to the simmer and cover. Cook gently for 1 ½- 2 hours, or until the beef is tender.

7. Remove the lid, sprinkle over the parsley . Season to taste withSalt and pepper.

To make the lime sweet potato mash;

Cut the sweet potatoes into equal 3cm cubs. Place them in a pan, cover with water and simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until tender.
Drain the sweet potatoes and return to the heat to dry off.

Purée the potatoes by hand and add the Butter, cream, Ginger and seasoning. Finally, add the Roman Vinaigre and mix well until smooth. 

Serve the venison with a generous spoonful of the sweet potato mash. 

Enjoy this Easter treat from Alan Coxon!

Simnel Cake Ingredients
 
225g unsalted Butter, softened
225g Castor Sugar
4 Med Eggs
225g Self raising flour
225g sultanas
110g currants
110g glacé cherries, quartered
grated zest of 2 oranges
grated zest of 2 Lemons
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp Nutmeg
1 tsp ground ginger
450g almond paste
2 tbsp apricot jam, warmed
1 egg, beaten
 
Method

1.  Pre-heat oven to 160°C /gas 3.

2. Place the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat together until light and almost white then  add fold in the eggs, flour, sultanas, currants, glace cherries, orange zest, lemon zest and all the spices

3. Place half the mixture in a buttered and lined 20cm deep round spring form cake tin and level the surface.

4. Take one-third of the almond paste and roll it out into a circle the size of the tin. Place it on top of the uncooked cake mixture. Spoon the remaining cake mixture over and smooth the surface.

5. Bake the cake for about 2 hours 30 minutes until well risen and firm to the touch. Cover with foil after 1 hour if the top is browning too quickly. Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

6. When the cake has cooled, brush the top with the warmed apricot jam and roll out half of the remaining almond paste to fit the top. Press firmly on the top and crimp the edges to decorate.

7. Mark a criss-cross pattern on the almond paste with a sharp knife. Form the remaining almond paste into 12 balls (to represent the 12 apostles). Arrange the balls around the outside gluing on with a little of the apricot jam.

8. Preheat the grill on high and Place the cake under the preheated grill to turn the almond paste golden.

Enjoy!