Chestnut and Chocolate game stew with wine pairing

It’s raining outside and I just want to slide under a blanket and watch episode after episode of Breaking Bad whilst eating dark chocolate.  But no.  Not today.  It’s Monday and I’ve got a million and one things to do before the school run.  To channel my cosy vibe, Im going to do a quick mixed game stew.  I bought a pack of diced mixed game at the local market on Saturday so this recipe is built around that.

I’m not an exacting kind of cook, I go with what looks and feels good so if you like exactness in your cooking then this recipe isn’t for you.

• Feeds – 4 adults
• Time to prep – 10 minutes
• Time to cook – the longer the better but I would set aside an hour for it to bubble away quietly.
• Freezes very well

Ingredients:

• 550g Bag of mixed game – diced
• 180 g Chesnuts
• A few handfuls of mixed root veg e.g. beetroot, potatoes, swede, parsnip
• (Cheat tip – use some frozen pre prepared mixed root veg after you have added the stock rather than at frying stage)
• 2 sticks of celery thinly sliced
• 1 small onion diced
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 pack lardons (49 g)
• 50 g extra dark chocolate
• 450 ml beef stock (Up to 450 ml of boiling water to dilute)
• 2 large spoons of plain flour
• 3 tbsp olive oil

1. Toss the game in the flour until completely coated.
2. Add 1 tbsp of the olive oil to a large saucepan and fry the game in batches until it begins to brown. Take the game out of the pan and transfer it to a plate.
3. In the same pan add more oil and fry the lardons until they begin to get crispy.
4. Add the vegetables, onions, garlic, celery and chestnuts.
5. Cook over a medium heat until they begin to brown.
6. Return the meat to the pan.
7. Give everything a good stir adding the stock and two table spoons of additional flour.  Stir again.
8. Season with a little salt and pepper.
9. Bring it to a simmer and add the squares of chocolate.
10. Put the lid on and cook on the hob on a low heat for approximately an hour until the meat is tender.

Serve piping hot with a lovely mound of mash or tabouleh with finely chopped parsley is also quite amazing.  Oh and a large glass of red wine on the side.  I would heartily recommend the following to enhance the dark chocolate element:  Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux, Barolo, Malbec.