Scottiglia di capriolo (venison casserole) recipe

Scottiglia is a slow-cooked Tuscan stew that is traditionally made with whatever the hunter has brought home, said Gennaro Contaldo – so you could substitute wild boar, rabbit or hare for the venison in this recipe. Many supermarkets now sell farmed venison, including“casserole venison”, which is cut up and ready for stewing. The meat is first marinated overnight for maximum tenderness and flavour, and then slow-cooked for a rich-tasting casserole. It's especially delicious served with runny polenta (cornmeal).

Ingredients:

• 1kg venison haunch or casserole venison, cut into 4-5cm chunks
• plain flour, to dust
• 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 sprigs of rosemary
• 3 sage leaves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 2 carrots, roughly chopped
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 300ml beef stock – or use a stock cube

For the marinade:

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• 75ml/5 tbsp red-wine vinegar
• 250ml red wine
• 15 juniper berries
• 15 black peppercorns
• 3 bay leaves

Method:

• Put the venison in a bowl. Combine all the marinade ingredients and pour over the meat, cover with clingfilm and leave in the fridge overnight.
• Remove the venison from the marinade, reserving the liquid, and pat the meat dry. Dust the meat with the plain flour and shake off any excess.
• Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan on a high heat, add the meat and brown well all over. Reduce the heat, add the herbs, onion, garlic, celery and carrots and sweat for a couple of minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add the marinade and cook on a high heat for a couple of minutes. Add the stock, reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and cook for about 2 hours, until the meat is tender. Serve with runny polenta.
• For a slow cooker: marinate the venison as above. Drain, dust with flour and brown the meat, then transfer to a large slow cooker pot.
• Sweat the herbs, vegetables and garlic, season, then add the marinade and stock.
• Bring to the boil, pour over the venison, cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours. Stir before serving.

Taken from Slow: Easy, comforting Italian meals worth waiting for by Gennaro Contaldo, published by Pavilion Books at £22. To buy from The Week Bookshop for £17.99, call 020-3176 3835 or visit theweekbookshop.co.uk.