Course: Main
Servings: 4 people
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1.5 hours

Ingredients:

• Venison haunch - 1
• Pheasant fillet - 1
• Olive oil - 2 tbsp
• Shallots - 8 (peeled and left whole)
• Beef & chicken stocks - (to cover)
• Colburn's ruby port - 150 ml
• Fresh thyme - 3 sprigs (or 1 tsp dried)
• Dried oregano - 1 tsp
• Bisto - (to thicken)
• Puff pastry - 1 pack
• Egg yolk - 1 (beaten)

Instructions:

1. Cube venison and brown in olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.
2. Cube pheasant fillet and brown in olive oil.
3. Add the shallots to the venison and pheasant. Cover with a mixture of beef and chicken stock. The amount will vary depending on the quantities of game, but cover generously as the mixture will reduce.
4. Add the port and herbs and simmer on a medium heat for at least an hour.
5. When the meat is tender and the liquid reduced, thicken with Bisto.
6. Spoon into a pie dish and cover with a round of puff pastry cut to size. Brush the top with beaten egg yolk.
7. Bake at 210 C for 10-15 minutes until the puff pastry rises and is lovely and golden.

Robert tends to throw this recipe together using the quantities of ingredients on hand. He says the combination of beef and chicken stock brings out the flavours of the game better, and Bisto is used to thicken the gravy.