Eat Wild's Game Pot au Feu

Pot au feu, or 'pot of fire', is a traditional French casserole thought to be the oldest stew recipe in the world. With our lean wild game and handfuls of herbs and spices, we've given it a fresh new twist. Thanks to Eat Wild for sharing this recipe with us.

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 40 mins
Cook Time: 4-5 hrs

Ingredients:

• 2x Mallard thighs
• 2x Mallard drumsticks
• 2x Pheasant legs
• 2x Partridge legs
• 1x Large white onion
• 1x Leek
• 1x Celery stick
• 5x Sprigs of thyme
• 1x Whole garlic
• 1x Cinnamon stick
• 3x Bay leaves
• 12x Small new potatoes
• 5g Mustard seeds
• 5g Juniper berries
• 5x Sprigs of chervil (optional)
• 4x Whole cloves
• 10x Black peppercorns
• 4x Whole carrots

Equipment:

• Casserole dish
• Ladle

Method:

1. Place all the meat in a large casserole pot and add the spices, herbs and garlic.
2. Cover everything with water and bring to the boil, skimming off the fat when it starts to bubble. Turn the pot down to a simmer and leave it to cook for 3 hours
3. Next, start chopping the vegetables into rough, rustic pieces. Peel the carrots and slice them in half, then peel the onion and chop it into around 8 large pieces.
4. Cut the celery into 3 inch pieces. If it has a lot of fibrous sinews, remove them with a vegetable peeler. Cut the leeks in half lengthways and then in half across. Lightly wash your potatoes. Set all of these to one side to later add to the stew. Remove the meat from the stew, and place it on a tray. Keep the liquid as this is the base of the whole stew.
5. Pour the liquid through a sieve to remove all the herbs and spices. Place the liquid back into the casserole pot and add the vegetables.
6. Add the meat back into the pot. Cook for a further 2 hours to make sure all of the vegetables are cooked.
7. The longer you cook this the better. It is important to have the casserole on simmer at all times. You could also cook this in a medium hot oven at around 120°C for a similar time.
8. Serve the whole casserole dish with the lid on in the middle of the table with a rustic loaf and a ladle