Venison bolognese

By Matt Tebbutt
From Saturday Kitchen

Ingredients

For the bolognese:

• Onion: 1, peeled and halved
• Carrot: 1, peeled
• Celery sticks: 2
• Garlic cloves: 4
• Dried porcini mushrooms: 6–8, rehydrated in boiling water then drained and chopped
• Parmesan rinds: 2–3
• Fresh thyme: small bunch
• Juniper berries: 2, crushed
• Bay leaf: 1
• Minced venison: 800g/1lb 12oz
• Tomato purée: 3 tbsp
• Whole milk: 400ml–500ml/14–18fl oz, enough to almost cover
• Unsalted butter: 50g/1¾oz
• Freshly grated nutmeg: to taste

To serve:

• Dried bucatini pasta: 500g/1lb 2oz
• Parmesan: 100g/3½oz, grated

Method

1. Prepare the vegetable base:
   • In a food processor, blend onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and porcini mushrooms.
2. Start the bolognese:
   • In a pan over medium-low heat, add the blended vegetables, Parmesan rinds, thyme, crushed juniper berries, and bay leaf.
   • Sweat for 20 minutes until softened.
3. Cook the meat:
   • Add venison to the pan and mix well, breaking it up with a wooden spoon.
   • Stir in tomato purée and cook for 2 minutes.
4. Simmer the sauce:
   • Pour in milk to almost cover the mixture.
   • Season with salt and pepper.
   • Simmer gently for 1 hour 30 minutes until tender.
5. Finish the bolognese:
   • Stir in the butter.
   • Grate a little nutmeg over the sauce just before serving.
6. Prepare pasta and serve:
   • Cook bucatini according to package instructions.
   • Drain pasta and toss with the finished bolognese.
   • Serve in bowls and top with generous amounts of grated Parmesan.