Venison stew with herb cobbler | Lawrence Murphy

It’s not just the silvery blue-green skin or amazingly bright orange flesh that I’m attracted to but the wonderful flavour and texture of this pumpkin.

It looks a little odd, almost cartoonish but is a great thing to eat. I scooped out the seeds and stuffed it with cooked lamb mince which was mixed with Moroccan spices, with extra chilli, saffron and tomato.

I baked the whole thing in the oven for an hour. It was fab, you should give it a go. In the excitement of getting to taste the dish i forgot to take a photo.

So you’ll have to make up a recipe and I’ll give you this one for venison stew with a herb and horseradish cobbler.

Recipe (serves 4)

For the braise

Oil, 700g cubed venison

30g plain flour

1 carrot, cut thickly, stick chopped celery

1 onion chopped

tablespoon tomato paste

1 bay leaf

salt and pepper

500ml red wine

500ml beef stock

seasoning

plus 1 carrot cut into rounds

half a swede cubed

8 pickling onions peeled and cut in half

For the herb cobbler

120g plain flour

dessert spoon baking powder

25g butter

70ml milk

tablespoon grated horseradish

desert spoon chopped chives and parsley

pinch of salt

Method

1.Coat the venison with the flour and fry in some oil until brown and caramelised and put into a casserole dish with the bay leaf.

2. Fry off the onions, carrot and celery and add this to the casserole.

3. Mix in the tomato paste and add the wine and stock.

4 Gently heat until simmering and place in a pre-heated oven 150c/gas 3 for 3 ½ hours (the meat will be tender – if it is not continue to cook).

5. Whilst the venison is cooking you can make the cobbler. Add the baking powder and salt to the flour.

6. Rub in the butter and add the grated horseradish and herbs.

7. Stir in the milk and gently combine until a soft dough is formed – do not over-knead.

8. Roll out the mixture on a floured board and cut into 4 round scones.

9. Check the venison is cooked. Strain through a sieve and pick the meat out into the liquid, discard the cooked carrots onion and celery.

10. Put the venison, gravy and the fresh vegetables and onions back into the casserole and put back in the oven. Turn the oven up to 180c/gas 5 and cook the cobblers for 20 minutes.

11. Remove the beef casserole and check for seasoning - spoon into bowls and top with a horseradish and herb scone.