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Venison and Apple Casserole

1lb./ 450g. cubed venison, dusted in flour
2 tbsps. oil
8ozs. / 225g. shallots, peeled
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
8ozs. / 225g. diced bacon
2 carrots, peeled and chopped and 2 leeks, chopped
small tin chopped tomatoes
3 tbsps. brandy
3/4 pt. / 15fl. ozs. good beef stock
desert spoon tomato puree
1 desert spoon juniper berries
2 – 3 Bramley or Cox’s Orange Pippins cut into chunks
Pepper and salt to taste

Heat the oil in a pan and fry the venison until well browned, remove to a plate. Add diced bacon to the pan along with the shallots and garlic. Crush the juniper berries just enough to release their flavour and add to the pan.

Return the venison to the pan, add the vegetables, tomato puree, tin of tomatoes, stock and brandy. Bring to a gentle simmer, put on a lid and cook for 1 1/2 hours. Add the apples to the pan and simmer for a further 30 minutes. If the sauce needs thickening mix some cornflour with cold water and add, stirring all the time. You could cook this in the oven on a low heat if you would prefer to do so.

Fresh Plum Cake

225g. / 8ozs. self raising flour
1 tsp. gd. cinnamon
100g. / 4ozs. hard margarine or butter
50g. / 2ozs. sultanas
50g. / 2ozs. soft brown sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
2 large eggs
4 tbsps. golden syrup
225. / 8ozs. plum, stoned and chopped

Preheat oven to 160 / Gas Mark 3.

Grease and line an 8 inch square baking tin. Rub the flour, half the cinnamon and the margarine together. Add the sultanas and 50g. / 2ozs. soft brown sugar and stir. Beat eggs and syrup together in a separate bowl, add plums, then stir into the flour mixture.

Transfer to tin and level surface. Mix the rest of the brown sugar and the cinnamon and sprinkle over the top of the cake. Cook in the centre of the oven for 45 – 50 minutes and then test. It should be risen and just firm to the touch.

Cut into squares to eat. This is best eaten warm with ice cream though you can eat it cold. It works just as well with apples and rhubarb.

When it’s a jam!

Do you know how easy it is to create your own label jam?

What are you going to call it?

On sale locally recently was jam labelled “Ledbury Fine Foods” and “Great British Classics” complete with Union Jack.

Where do you think this was made?

Perhaps in Ledbury or its neighbourhood?

The answer is that the jam had in fact been made in Leicestershire by Bramble Foods.

We looked up Bramble Foods Ltd on the web. They are a well-established business in Market Harborough supplying a wide range of food products.

One of their services is providing personalised or own label products.

We have no problem with what Bramble Foods are doing – and there is nothing wrong with the quality of their jam.

But it is possible that product labelling may create a wrong impression in the eyes of the customer.

So…Beware! Remember when “buying local” to check the label if you don’t know the product.

PORK AND FENNEL BURGERS WITH FENNEL SLAW

Serves 4

8 good quality pork sausages
1 tsp. fennel seeds
pinch dried chilli flakes
zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsps. mayonnaise
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 bulb fennel, sliced or chopped
4 rolls, split in half

1. Heat the oven to 200C / 180C fan / gas mark 6.  Snip the tops off the sausages and squeeze out the meat.  Stir in the fennel seeds, chilli flakes and half the zest, then shape into 4 patties.  Place the burgers on a greased baking sheet and cook for 25 – 30 minutes until golden and cooked through. 
2. Meanwhile, mix the remaining zest and juice with the mayonnaise and seasoning, then stir in the onion and fennel.  Leave to stand while the burgers finish cooking.
3. Place a burger in each roll with some slaw, serving any extra on the side

RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE BROWNIES

Makes 16 squares

150g. butter, unsalted
150g. dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
3 medium eggs
100g. caster sugar
100g. light brown soft sugar
30g. cocoa powder
75g. plain flour

For the topping:

125g. soft cheese i.e. cream cheese, full fat
1 medium egg
50g. caster sugar
150g. pack raspberries

1. Preheat the oven to 180C / gas mark 4 and line a 20cm. by 20cm. square baking tin with baking parchment.
2. Melt the butter and chocolate in a large heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, or use the microwave in short bursts, stirring until smooth.
3. In a separate bowl whisk the eggs and both sugars with an electric whisk until the mixture is thick and foamy (about 5 minutes).
4. Pour the melted chocolate into the whisked eggs and fold until carefully combined, using either a spatula or metal spoon.  Sieve the cocoa powder and flour over the top and fold again to make a smooth batter.
5. For the topping, beat the soft cheese, egg and caster sugar together.  Scrape most of the brownie batter into the cake tin, reserving 2 tbsps. to make the swirl top.  Smooth the batter.  Press in half the raspberries.
6. Pour the cheesecake mixture into the tin and tilt to create an even layer.  Add 2 tsps water to the remaining brownie batter to loosen it then dollop teaspoon sized amounts over the top of the cheesecake layer.  Swirl gently using a skewer.
7. Scatter over the remaining raspberries and bake for 30 – 35 minutes – the top should still have a slight wobble.  Allow to cool completely in the tin before slicing and serving.  These will keep for up to 4 days covered in the fridge.  

TIPS

If you wanted to cut down on the amount of sugar in the brownies, you could use 100g. of light brown sugar and 50g. of caster sugar.  It is all a question of personal taste but that should be fine.

Be careful if melting your chocolate in the microwave, do it in slow bursts.

Make sure the fennel is well covered with the lemon juice.  I wouldn’t make the slaw until the last minute, otherwise it could discolour.