VENISON

Decanter.com wine suggestion for venison dishes:
(Whichever wine is used in the recipe itself, drink the same wine with the meal)

Southern Rhone Syrah – Chateauneuf du Pape, Chateau Beauchene, Grande Reserve 1999: Oak is evident. Quite closed on the nose. Very plummy, ripe, rich on palate with loads of boiled black fruit. Unctuous with lots of glycerol. A bit disjointed but has good concentration. (NA), £10

Stalker’s picnic?

Quick and delicious as a starter or for picnics.

Ingredients
1 Roe liver
3 bulbs wild garlic
1 tsp Brandy
1 rasher of bacon
1 oz butter
1 tsp rowan jelly or redcurrant

Method
Remove any membrane from the liver, Slice and gently fry in butter until pink. Add the garlic briefly. Whizz in a blender or put through a mincer with the brandy and jelly. Season to taste, place in a container and chill.

Personal note: This was created with an unexpected roe liver from entirely home grown ingredients (except the butter or bacon). Picture it being recreated in some impossibly remote stalking lodge with bacon left over from breakfast and brandy for medicinal purposes.

Wine suggestion: As this is a starter, a good spicy Languedoc wine is recommended:
Chateau de Lascaux Rouge 2000, Berry Bros, around £6.00.

Venison Kidneys in cream sauce

Venison liver and kidneys have always been considered the stalkers perks. Snap the kidneys up if you see them!

Ingredients
6-10 venison kidneys
1 pint / 570ml of stock
– butter
– oil
1 medium onion (diced small)
8 oz / 225g mushrooms
2 tbsp of brandy
2 tbsp of sherry
1/4 pint / 150ml thick cream
– salt and pepper

Method
Peel the kidneys and put them into a pan with the stock and bring to the boil. Allow them to cool in the stock for 10 minutes (this is to remove any bitterness from the kidneys). Melt the butter and oil in a frying pan and fry the diced onion in the oil and butter. Cut the kidneys into thin slices and add to the sliced mushrooms in the prepared pan. Stir over a high heat and add the brandy. Lower the hear and add the stock mix, the sherry and pour on the cream. Let this cook for about 10 minutes, stirring all the time until it becomes thick. Add the kidney mixture and , if needed, the salt andf pepper. Serve with new potatoes or boiled rice.

Wine suggestion: Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux, Chateau Barreyres, Haut Medoc, France £7.99 Sainsburys.
Rioja Reserva, Era Costana, Bodegas Ondarre 1999: Ripe berry fruit. Inviting. Balance between well-handled fruit, structured tannins and lift of acidity. Oak holds the wine together. Good length. Drink 2-10 years. £8.49 Hallgarten Wines, Beds: 01582 722538.