Wild Highland venison stew with Loch Ness dark ale

Method – Game pie filling:

1. Put the game mix into a large bowl and season with salt and pepper.
2. Now sprinkle with the flour and make sure the game is well coated.
3. Heat a heavy based pot and add 5 tbsp oil.
4. Add the meat and brown it all over.
5. Now add the vegetables, bacon, garlic, thyme and butter and stir to prevent it sticking and burning (add a little ale if it starts to stick).
6. Drop in the redcurrant jelly and allow it to melt through the meat.
7. Cook this for about a minute and a half before adding the Loch Ness Dark ale.
8. Let this reduce down before adding your stock (just enough stock to cover the meat).
9. Cover with a lid and let it very gently simmer, make sure it doesn’t boil or the meat will stress and become tough.
10. Remove the lid and with a slotted spoon or spider if you have one remove the meat and put it in a bowl, this will allow you to turn the heat up and reduce the stock into a nice thick sauce.
11. Once you have the desired consistency then add the meat back into the sauce to warm through
12. Top with a shortcrust pastry lid.

Method - Skirlie on the side:

1. Melt the butter in a heavy based pan, add the onions and oats and season lightly, cook over a medium heat till the oats are golden and almost crispy.
2. When the oats are at that stage crumble the haggis through the Skirlie and cook for 2 or 3 mins over a medium heat.
3. Now add the chopped parsley and serve with the stew.

Scottish carrots, baby beets and red onions make a fantastic accompaniment.