Ingredients:
- 1.2kg ready shortcrust pastry
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 large red onions, peeled & diced
- 120g field mushrooms, sliced
- 120g smoked back bacon, diced
- 1kg mixed game meat (incl. venison, rabbit, pheasant & pigeon), boned & diced
- 1 clove garlic, peeled & crushed
- Zest & juice of 1 orange
- 70ml port
- 300ml chicken stock
- 1 tbsp redcurrant jelly
- 4 Bay leaves
- 30g plain Flour
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 egg, beaten
Method:
- Preheat oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas Mark 5
- Heat a tablespoon of oil, brown the game in batches and keep on one side.
- Heat the rest of the oil, sweat off the onions until starting to soften but not colour. Add the garlic, bacon & mushrooms and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in the flour & cook for 2 minutes. Season well & stir in the bay leaves, orange juice & zest, redcurrant jelly, stock & port. Bring to the boil; add the meat & simmer gently for 1 hour or until the meat is tender. Allow to cool.
- Flour the inside of a 33cm pie dish – do not grease. Roll out pastry base & press into the pie dish, leaving an overhang of 1cm. Fill with the meat mixture. Roll out pastry lid & attach to the base using an egg wash. Press down edges with the end of a spoon. Cut a steam hole in the centre and cut out desired shapes with leftover pastry trimmings to decorate pie. Glaze with beaten egg.
- Bake for 30 minutes on bottom shelf, followed by 30 minutes on top shelf, until the pastry is golden & the filling over 75°C.
- Cut a generous wedge & serve with creamy mash, steamed Savoy cabbage & red onion gravy.