Minced Venison and Creamy Leeks Gratin

SERVES 3
1/2 LB minced venison
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, skinned and finely diced
2 carrots and 2 parsnips, peeled and trimmed at either end and finely diced
0.5 tablespoon flour
0.5 teaspoon salt, about 30 grinds of black pepper
1 tablespoons tomato purée
1 tablespoons Worcester sauce
0.5 pint stock (I use Marigold stock powder)

For the top
2 medium leeks, trimmed and sliced into 2in/5cm lengths, steamed till just tender
9g butter melted with 1 tablespoon olive oil
0.5 just rounded tablespoon flour
1/4 pint milk
0.5 teaspoon salt, about 20 grinds of black pepper, a good grating of nutmeg
1oz grated cheddar cheese

Heat the olive oil in a casserole and brown the minced venison in batches, scooping each into a warm bowl as it browns. When done, fry the onions for five to seven minutes, till they are turning transparent, then stir in the carrots and parsnips, and fry for several minutes, stirring from time to time. Stir in the browned venison mince with the tablespoon of flour, and cook for a couple of minutes before stirring in the tomato purée, Worcester sauce and stock, salt and pepper. Stir until the mixture simmers gently, then cover the casserole or pan with its lid, and cook in a moderate heat, 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4 for one hour. Take out of the oven, and cool.

Meanwhile, make a sauce by melting the butter and heating the olive oil together, then stir in the tablespoon of flour. Cook it for a minute before gradually adding the milk, stirring until the sauce boils. Let it bubble for a minute, then take the pan off the heat, and stir in the salt, pepper and nutmeg, and fold in the steamed leeks. Spoon this over the cold venison mince. Scatter the grated cheese evenly over the surface and bake in the same moderate heat, for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the meat is bubbling around the edges beneath the golden crust formed by the melted cheese.


Number of Servings: 3

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user LAUROCHKA.