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This game pie makes for a magnificent centrepiece! You can replace the venison with any mix of seasonal game - wild boar, rabbit, pheasant or wild pigeon. Cut the meat up large enough that individual pieces are evident when layering up, and remember to make sure different colours and flavours are evenly distributed
Recipe taken from Pies Glorious Pies: Mouth-watering recipes for delicious pies by Maxine Clark (£10.99 Ryland Peters & Small)To make the onion marmalade, heat the butter in a saucepan until just turning golden. Add the onions, salt, pepper and sugar. Stir, cover the pan and cook gently, for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally,
Preheat the oven to 190°C/ Fan 170°C/ Gas 5. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the shallots and garlic and cook for 5 minutes until soft.
Stir in the whisky, game stock and half the crushed juniper berries. Boil hard to reduce by half, then strain through a sieve into a small bowl and leave to cool.
Mix the minced venison and pork with the thyme, mixed spice, remaining crushed juniper berries, marmalade and 11⁄2 teaspoons salt. Lightly crush the peppercorns and add to the mix.
Beat the reserved strained stock into the meat mix, then fold in the cubed pancetta. Cover and chill.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out two-thirds of the pastry to a manageable thickness and use it to line the pie mould, pressing well into all the nooks and crannies and making sure you have an overhang of pastry over the top edge.
Press a thin layer of the minced meat mixture over the bottom of the mould and cover with a layer of cubed venison. Season well.
Add another layer of minced meat and press down well. Repeat until all the meat is used up, ending with a layer of minced meat.
Roll out the remaining pastry for the lid. Brush the edges of the pie with the beaten egg and cover with the pastry lid. Press to seal, trim and crimp the edges.
Use the remaining pastry to cut out decorations and attach to the top of the pie with beaten egg. Brush the entire top with more egg, set in a baking pan and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes to set the pastry.
Reduce the oven to 150oC/Fan 140oC/ Gas 2 and cook for a further 1 3⁄4 hours. Remove from the oven, let cool for 20 minutes, then ease out of the mould. Leave to cool, then chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.
To make the onion marmalade, heat the butter in a saucepan until just turning golden. Add the onions, salt, pepper and sugar. Stir, cover the pan and cook gently, for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally,
Preheat the oven to 190°C/ Fan 170°C/ Gas 5. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the shallots and garlic and cook for 5 minutes until soft.
Stir in the whisky, game stock and half the crushed juniper berries. Boil hard to reduce by half, then strain through a sieve into a small bowl and leave to cool.
Mix the minced venison and pork with the thyme, mixed spice, remaining crushed juniper berries, marmalade and 11⁄2 teaspoons salt. Lightly crush the peppercorns and add to the mix.
Beat the reserved strained stock into the meat mix, then fold in the cubed pancetta. Cover and chill.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out two-thirds of the pastry to a manageable thickness and use it to line the pie mould, pressing well into all the nooks and crannies and making sure you have an overhang of pastry over the top edge.
Press a thin layer of the minced meat mixture over the bottom of the mould and cover with a layer of cubed venison. Season well.
Add another layer of minced meat and press down well. Repeat until all the meat is used up, ending with a layer of minced meat.
Roll out the remaining pastry for the lid. Brush the edges of the pie with the beaten egg and cover with the pastry lid. Press to seal, trim and crimp the edges.
Use the remaining pastry to cut out decorations and attach to the top of the pie with beaten egg. Brush the entire top with more egg, set in a baking pan and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes to set the pastry.
Reduce the oven to 150oC/Fan 140oC/ Gas 2 and cook for a further 1 3⁄4 hours. Remove from the oven, let cool for 20 minutes, then ease out of the mould. Leave to cool, then chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.
15 minutes
Serves 18-22 scones
