Khoresh

A rich Iranian-style khoresh stew combines tender venison haunch slowly simmered with aromatic spices, fresh herbs, tangy rhubarb and creamy chickpeas. The dish develops deep savoury-sour complexity over two hours cooking time, with saffron adding golden colour and luxury. Perfect way to use surplus rhubarb in savoury cooking. Serve with warmed pitta breads.

Prep: less than 30 mins

Cook: over 2 hours

Serves: Serves 4

Dietary: Dairy-free, Egg-free, Nut-free, Pregnancy-friendly

By Matt Tebbutt
From Saturday Kitchen Recipes

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This venison khoresh stew with rhubarb and chickpeas achieves Nutri-Score B. Lean venison provides high protein while chickpeas and rhubarb contribute fibre. Aromatic spices flavour without excessive calories.

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Equipment

• Large casserole pan (with lid, 4-5 litre capacity)
• Wooden spoon
• Sharp chef’s knife 🛒 Check out Amazon’s Choice

Method

Herb oil stage (5 minutes)

Begin by flavouring the oil with fresh herbs. This can be done while you prepare the venison chunks.

1. Infuse the herb oil by heating 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large casserole pan over medium-high heat until shimmering, then adding the parsley and mint leaves. Stir briefly for 30-60 seconds until just wilted and fragrant. Remove herbs with a slotted spoon and reserve for later use, leaving the flavoured oil in the pan.

Browning stage (15 minutes – do while oven preheats if using)

Brown venison thoroughly for flavour development. Have all aromatics chopped and measured ready.

2. Season and brown venison by generously seasoning the venison chunks with salt and black pepper, then adding to the same pan with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Brown thoroughly on all sides for about 5 minutes, working in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding.
3. Add onions once venison has good colour, stirring the chopped onion into the pan and continuing to cook for 5 minutes until softened and golden at edges.
4. Cook aromatics by adding sliced garlic, sliced green chilli, finely chopped ginger, ground cumin, turmeric, palm sugar and black pepper to the pan. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly until aromatic and sugar begins to caramelise slightly.

Slow cooking stage (1 hour 45 minutes)

Low gentle simmer extracts maximum flavour from venison. Check liquid levels occasionally.

5. Add stock and simmer by pouring in the chicken stock, stirring to lift any browned bits from pan base, then bringing to gentle simmer. Cover with lid and cook very gently for 1½ hours. Add splash of water if liquid reduces too much during cooking.
6. Incorporate final ingredients by stirring saffron threads into the hot stew, then adding reserved wilted herbs, rhubarb chunks and drained chickpeas. Continue cooking uncovered for 15 minutes until rhubarb softens and flavours meld.
7. Thicken with chickpeas by using a fork to lightly crush about one-third of the chickpeas directly in the pan, stirring to create natural thickening and creamy texture within the khoresh.

Season and serve (5 minutes)

Final seasoning and serving. Taste carefully as ingredients vary in saltiness.

8. Check final seasoning by tasting stew carefully, then adjusting salt and black pepper. Venison and stock vary, so season conservatively at end.
9. Serve immediately by ladling generous portions into warmed bowls and accompanying with warmed pitta breads for scooping up the rich khoresh sauce.

What can you serve with this

1. Warmed pitta breads – traditional for scooping rich venison khoresh stew
2. Steamed basmati rice – absorbs aromatic sauce beautifully
3. Yogurt with cucumber – cools gentle chilli heat in Iranian-style khoresh
4. Pickled red onions – sharp contrast to rich slow-cooked venison
5. Charred flatbreads – alternative to pitta for sauce-mopping