One base, three classics – British venison family favourites
A familiar favourite from Giles Babb, The Blue Bell Inn, Emsworth featuring local business Test Valley Venison. These three easy dishes use the same venison and vegetable foundation. A few changes to seasoning, sauce, and topping turn it into Bolognese, Chilli or Cottage Pie.
All can be made ahead, helping busy families cook well and waste less.
Ingredients
Your shared shopping list
- 500g British venison mince from Test Valley Venison
- 2 tbsp British rapeseed oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, grated
- 2 celery sticks, finely chopped
- 200g mushrooms, finely chopped
- 200g squash/pumpkin, peeled and grated
- 2 Isle of Wight garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- Fresh beef stock, tomatoes and seasoning
One batch serves 6 adults or 8–10 younger children, depending on appetite.
Choose ONE recipe for each batch.
Method
The shared cooking method:
1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wide saucepan. Soften onion, carrot and celery for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and squash; cook for 5 minutes more. Add garlic for the final minute. For chilli, add the spices and chipotle paste now (see below).
2. Meanwhile, brown the venison in two batches in a frying pan with the remaining oil, breaking up the mince.
3. Combine meat and vegetables. Stir in tomato purée and cook for 1–2 minutes. Choose your finish from one of the three recipes below. Cook mince thoroughly throughout.
Spaghetti Bolognese:
Add:
- 500g Isle of Wight tomato passata
- 150ml fresh beef stock
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 450–500g dried spaghetti
- Grated Old Winchester cheese to serve
Follow shared cooking steps 1–3 above.
Add passata, fresh beef stock, bay, thyme and oregano.
Simmer uncovered for 20–25 minutes, until tender and thick; add a splash of stock if needed. Remove bay.
Cook spaghetti to packet instructions, drain and toss with the sauce.
Finish with grated Old Winchester (an award-winning hard British cheese from Lyburn Farmhouse Cheesemakers, on the Hampshire/Wiltshire border). Its crystalline texture and rich, nutty flavour make it a delicious British alternative to Parmesan.
Allow 45–50 minutes including preparation. No milk is added
Chilli Con Carne
Add to one full base batch:
- 1 tsp each ground coriander, ground cumin and smoked paprika
- ¼–½ tsp mild chilli powder, to taste
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 4 tsp chipotle chilli paste
- Small bunch fresh coriander leaves, chopped
- 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 250ml fresh beef stock
- 400g tin kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 400g tin mixed pulses, drained and rinsed (optional)
Fry the spices, oregano and chipotle paste with the garlic for 1 minute.
Follow steps 2–3 above.
Add tomatoes and stock.
Simmer for 20–25 minutes, stirring in the ready-cooked kidney beans and optional pulses for the final 10 minutes.
Add water if needed.
Taste, season lightly and finish with chopped coriander leaves.
Serve with rice or British jacket potatoes.
Allow around 45–50 minutes with rice; prepare jacket potatoes ahead.
Try lentils, chickpeas or mixed beans to add fibre, texture and make the meat go further.
Cottage Pie
Add to one full base batch:
- 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 300ml fresh beef stock
- 200g frozen peas
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 1 tbsp Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp HP Brown Sauce
- 1kg potatoes, peeled and cut small
- 25g butter or 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 100g mature cheddar, grated
- 50–100ml double cream, as needed
Follow steps 1–3 above, then add tomatoes, stock, thyme and both sauces. Simmer uncovered for 25–30 minutes. Let the sauce reduce until thick and moist, without watery liquid pooling.
Stir in the peas for the final 5 minutes and cook until piping hot. Meanwhile, boil potatoes for 15–20 minutes until tender. Drain well and mash with butter or oil; loosen
with a little double cream, added gradually.
Spoon hot filling into a shallow ovenproof dish, cover with hot mash and sprinkle with cheddar.
Quick finish on the grill for 5–8 minutes, watching closely, until golden.
Filling and mash must already be piping hot.
Allow about 50–60 minutes including preparation; prepare mash ahead.
Make ahead, cool, store and re-heat.
Make the sauces or assembled cottage pie ahead. Cool in shallow portions and refrigerate within 2 hours. Eat within 48 hours or freeze.
Defrost in the fridge and use within 24 hours of full defrosting. Reheat once only, until steaming hot throughout. A chilled pie needs thorough oven reheating; the quick grill finish only browns an already-hot pie. Cook pasta or rice fresh to serve.
Allergens: celery in the base; wheat in spaghetti; milk in both cheeses, butter and double cream; fish in Lea & Perrins; barley
(and potentially wheat) in HP. Check all product and stock labels, including cheese for any egg allergen warning.
