Name: Game pie
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 225 min
Total time: 255 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Bake
Ingredients: 1 kg venison shoulder or leg, cubed; 200 g bacon smoked, strips; 750 ml red wine dry; 1 tsp cinnamon ground; 6 cloves whole, (wrapped in a muslin bag); 1/4 tsp ginger ground; 1 pinch saffron optional; 2 Tbs lamb tails; sea salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1 onion chopped; 1 cup peaches dried; 2 Tbs brown sugar; 8 cup stock venison, beef or lamb; milk for brushing; sea salt; 3 cup flour cake; 1 Tbs sugar; 1 tsp salt; 1.5 Tbs Baking powder; 1 tsp black pepper freshly ground; 1 tsp fresh thyme; 3/4 cup butter; 3/4 cup Buttermilk; 1/4 cup milk; 1 eggs; 1 eggs yolk only

Recipe Disclaimer

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Ingredients (26)

1 kg	venison — shoulder or leg, cubed
200 g	bacon — smoked, strips
750 ml	red wine — dry
1 tsp	cinnamon — ground
6 cloves	whole, (wrapped in a muslin bag)
1/4 tsp	ginger — ground
1 pinch	saffron — optional
2 Tbs	lamb — tails
	sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1	onion — chopped
1 cup	peaches — dried
2 Tbs	brown sugar
8 cup	stock — venison, beef or lamb

buttermilk pastry (please see below)

	milk — for brushing
	sea salt

FOR THE BUTTERMILK PASTRY:

3 cup	flour — cake
1 Tbs	sugar
1 tsp	salt
1.5 Tbs	Baking powder
1 tsp	black pepper — freshly ground
1 tsp	fresh thyme
3/4 cup	butter
3/4 cup	Buttermilk
1/4 cup	milk
1	eggs
1	eggs — yolk only

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Method:

Place the venison, bacon, wine cinnamon, cloves, ginger and saffron (if using) in an earthenware dish and marinate overnight.

The following day, preheat the oven to 160°C.

Used a large, heavy-based casserole dish with a tight fitting lid that can also be used on the stovetop, heat it and add the fat, lard or oil.

Remove the venison and bacon from the marinade (reserve the marinade) and pat dry with paper towel. Season with the salt and pepper and brown in the fat.

Add the onion and fry for 5 minutes.

Add the peaches, tamarind water or vinegar, sugar, reserved marinade and stock. Fid the lid and place in the oven for 2-3 hours until soft.

Place the dish on the stove and cook until the sauce thickens or add a little cornflour mixed with water.

Check seasoning and leave to cool in the pot.

Increase the oven temperature to 200°C.

Placed the pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll out 2 cm thick to the size of the casserole pot. Place on top of the meat, covering the whole surface. Alternatively you can make little balls of pastry and place them tightly next to each other on top of the meat.

Brush the surface with the milk and sprinkle with feshly ground sea salt. Bake for about 45 minutes until golden brown.

For the buttermilk pastry:

Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl.
Work the butter into the dry mixture using your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs.
Mix the buttermilk, milk, egg and yolk together, and then add it to the dry mixture.
Work lightly until it forms a dough – don’t overwork it.
Wrap in plastic wrap and rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour before using.

Recipe reprinted with permission of Michelle Theron, Executive Chef at Pierneef à La Motte.