Name: Venison sausage & chestnut casserole
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 2 tbsp sunflower oil; 16 venison sausages; 2 medium onions thinly sliced; 3 celery sticks trimmed and thinly sliced; 200g chestnut mushrooms halved (or quartered if large); 300ml red wine; 1 beef stock cube; 200g pack vacuum-packed cooked chestnuts; 2 tbsp tomato purée; 1 bay leaf; 2 tbsp cornflour; small pack parsley chopped, to serve (optional); 1 ½kg medium potatoes (ideally Maris Piper), cut into even chunks; 75g butter; 150ml tub double cream; 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard

2 tbsp sunflower oil
16 venison sausages
2 medium onions
thinly sliced
3 celery sticks
trimmed and thinly sliced
200g chestnut mushrooms
halved (or quartered if large)
300ml red wine
1 beef stock cube
200g pack vacuum-packed cooked chestnuts
2 tbsp tomato purée
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp cornflour
small pack parsley
chopped, to serve (optional)

For the mustard mash

1 ½kg medium potatoes
(ideally Maris Piper), cut into even chunks
75g butter
150ml tub double cream
2 tbsp wholegrain mustard

Method

step 1
Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and fry the sausages in two batches over a medium heat for 15 mins, turning regularly, until nicely browned. Transfer the sausages to a large flameproof casserole dish.
step 2
Tip the onions and celery into the frying pan and cook over a medium-high heat for 5 mins or until beginning to soften and lightly colour, stirring regularly. Add a splash more oil if needed. Tip the vegetables into the casserole dish.
step 3
Put the remaining oil in the pan, cook the mushrooms over a high heat for 4-5 mins until lightly browned, then add to the casserole. Pour the wine and 300ml water into the dish and crumble the stock cube over the top. Stir in the chestnuts, tomato purée and bay leaf. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover loosely with a lid and simmer gently for 30 mins, stirring occasionally.
step 4
Meanwhile, make the mustard mash. Put the potatoes in a large pan of water, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 mins or until the potatoes are soft but not falling apart. Drain well in a colander, then return to the pan and mash with the butter and cream until smooth. Beat in the mustard, season to taste, and set aside.
step 5
Mix the cornflour with 2 tbsp cold water until smooth. Stir into the casserole and cook for 2-3 mins, stirring regularly, until the sauce has thickened. Remove the dish from the heat, season and sprinkle with chopped parsley, if using. Serve with the mustard mash.