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.
Method
1. Prepare the game
Place all the meat in a large casserole pot and add the spices, herbs and garlic.
2. Bring to the boil
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 to slow cook for 3 hours.
3. Meanwhile, prep the vegetables
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.
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 length ways and then in half across. Lightly wash your potatoes. Set all of these to one side to later add to the stew.
4. Remove meat from casserole dish
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. Sieve the broth
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. Return meat to the dish
Add the meat back into the pot. Cook for a further 2 hours to make sure all of the vegetables are cooked.
7. Leave to simmer
The longer you cook this 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 up
Serve the whole casserole dish with lid on in the middle of the table with a rustic loaf and a ladle.