I am a huge fan of “wild game”, even if most of the stuff that is available is farm raised around here. I pound a few pounds of venison mince the other day and made two recipes (this and the next one). They are delicious. And I am guessing that they are pretty healthy because venison is very lean. Amazingly flavorful for something that is that lean too. While this recipe is a bit time consuming, it is one of the best “cooked” (vs “baked”) things that I have made in recent memory.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 white onion, finely diced
2 green bell pepper, finely diced
2 carrots, finely diced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/4 pound ground venison
1 1/2 cups shiitake mushrooms, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
14 oz canned diced tomatoes, additionally finely chopped
1/4 cup red or white wine, either is fine, I used red
2 cup low sodium beer broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
small piece Parmesan rind (optional)
to serve
Pappardelle pasta, cooked al dente
parsley, chopped
grated Parmesan, to taste
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Directions
Heat oven to 325F. Make sure the rack in in the middle position.
Heat the oil in a large, oven safe Dutch oven. Add the onion, pepper and carrots and cook over medium-low heat, stirring, for about 8-10 minutes or until softened. Add the mushrooms and venison, breaking it up with the back of your spoon and stirring until browned. Once browned, sprinkle in the flour and cook for about 1 minute. Stir in the wine and cook until it cooks down by about half. Stir in the salt, pepper, sugar, garlic powder, minced garlic, and Worcestershire sauce. Add the tomato paste, canned tomatoes, beef broth, bay leaves, and Parmesan rind, if using. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Move the pot to the oven and cook for about two hours, stirring occasionally. Make sure to keep an eye on the liquid levels and top up with hot water if needed.
When ready to serve, discard the bay leaves and cheese rind. Have a taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Serve with pasta, risotto, potatoes, polenta or just a piece or crusty bread.
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