Game Pie       HT  MC  English  120mins plus cooling

Serves 4-6     Hot  Game Birds Pork Alcohol   Main Course  England  British  Europe

Ingredients 

2tbsp Vegetable Oil

225g/8oz Venison Steak, cut into 2.5cm/1-inch cubes

675g/1½lb Game Meat  (e.g. Grouse, Pheasant, Partridge, Hare or Rabbit)
2 Onions,  sliced

1 Garlic Clove, crushed
120g/4oz Streaky Bacon, derinded and chopped
120g/4oz Mushrooms,  sliced
25g/1oz Plain Flour

Salt and pepper

4 Juniper Berries (optional)
1 Bay Leaf

1 teasp Dried Thyme

1 tbsp Freshly Chopped Parsley
The grated Zest and juice of 1 Orange
1 tbsp Redcurrant Jelly
300ml/10fl.oz. Chicken or Game Stock

60ml/2fl.oz. Port
240ml/8fl.oz. Red Wine
350g/+12oz Puff Pastry

1 Egg, beaten

Instructions

1.  Heat a tablespoon of the oil and brown the Venison and game meat on all sides. You will have to do this in batches. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.

2. Heat the remaining oil in the pan, add the onions and sauté for about five minutes until softened. 

3. Add the garlic, bacon and mushrooms and cook for a further  2-3 minutes.

4. Sprinkle in the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Season well with salt and pepper,  add the juniper berries (if using) bay leaf, thyme, parsley, orange zest and juice, redcurrant jelly, stock, port and wine, mixing well.

5. Bring to the boil, add the meat, mix well then reduce the heat, partially cover and simmer gently for 45 minutes until the meat is tender. 

6. Remove the pan from the heat, cover and allow to cool.

7.  Once the  meat is cool, preheat the oven to 200C, 400F, Gas Mark 6.

8. Transfer the cooled meat mixture to a pie dish (about 1.2L/40fl.oz.). Set aside.

9.  On a floured surface, roll out the pastry and use some of it to line the top lip of the pie dish. Brush with beaten egg and then use the remaining rolled out pastry to top the pie, making sure that the lid is firmly secured to the pastry on the lip of the dish.  Trim away any excess pastry and flute the edges with your fingers or decorate with the back of a fork.

10. Make a couple of small holes in the top of the pastry to act as air vents and use any excess pastry trimmings to make decorations and decorate the top then brush with beaten egg to glaze.

11. Bake for 20 minutes and then reduce the heat to 180C, 350F, Gas Mark 4 and bake for a further 30 minutes. Serve hot.

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