Braised Venison Cobbler with Horseradish Scones by Paul Welburn
Combat these chilly autumn evenings with this comforting Braised Venison Cobbler. Paul Welburn from Michelin Star Restaurant The Oxford Kitchen has created this scrumptious dish of braised venison haunch which is served with fluffy horseradish scones. A refreshing approach to a traditional cobbler, this would make a wonderfully warming evening meal. Together with Great British Chefs we’re celebrating game and autumnal cooking! For more inspiration and recipes check out our blog here.
Serves: 6
Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
Equipment
Ingredients
Braised venison
- 1kg venison haunch, diced
- 4 tbsp of plain flour
- 100g of pancetta, diced
- 100g of baby onions
- 2 carrots, diced
- 150g of baby parsnips, diced
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 tsp tomato purée
- 500ml of porter, or stout
- 500ml of red wine
- 1l beef stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 sprig of thyme
- 100ml of vegetable oil
- salt
- pepper
Horseradish and cheese scones
- 225g of self-raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch of salt
- 50g of butter
- 50g of mature cheddar, grated
- 50g of Parmesan, grated
- 3 tsp creamed horseradish
- 150ml of milk
Baby parsnips
- 12 baby parsnips
- oil
- salt
To serve
- fresh horseradish, for grating
- 1 handful of chopped parsley
Cooking Method
- To begin, make the braised venison. Dust the venison evenly in flour, shaking each piece to remove any excess. Add the oil to a large sauté pan and add a batch of the venison when hot. Cook until golden, drain and set aside. Repeat with the rest of the venison – it’s important to work in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan.
- Place a large, deep sauté pan with a lid over a medium-high heat, add the pancetta and cook until caramelised and golden. Drain the bacon, keeping the fat in the pan, and add the onions, diced carrots and parsnips. Cook until golden, then add the garlic and tomato purée and cook out for 2–3 minutes
- Add the beer and wine to deglaze, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any reside, then reduce by two thirds. Add the stock, return the bacon and venison to the pan (plus any juices that have escaped) and top up with a little more stock if needed. Bring to a simmer, add the bay leaf and thyme and cover with a lid. Cook over a low heat for 1 ½–2 hours, or until the meat is tender and the sauce is rich – you may need to top it up with a little more stock if it’s getting a little dry.
- While the venison is cooking, make the scones. Rub all the dry ingredients with the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the horseradish, followed with enough milk to form a nice dough. Do not overwork the mixture, or the scones will be tough.
- Wrap in cling film and rest in the fridge for 30–40 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 220°C/gas mark 8.
- Dress the baby parsnips with a little oil and season. Spread out on a roasting pan and cook for approximately 25 minutes.
- Roll out the scone dough until 2cm thick on a lightly floured work surface. But out 12 scones using a 4.5cm diameter cutter.
- Arrange the scones on top of the venison mixture and brush the top with egg yolk. Place in the oven with the parsnips for approximately 12–15 minutes, or until the scones are golden and the venison is bubbling away. Remove and top with a grating of horseradish and finely chopped parsley before serving
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Recipe courtesy of www.greatbritishchefs.com