Venison and prune hot pot

This is an absolute favourite of mine and influenced by the delicate sweet and sour flavours of a tagine. The sweetness compliments the gamey strength of the venison. I only first made it a few nights ago and it serves about 4. It takes most of the afternoon but i think you'll find it's worth it! :



1 red onion - sliced
1 stick celery - chopped
2 large cloves garlic - chopped
1 pack lardons or smoked bacon bits
800-1000gms diced venison (doesn't have to be a prime cut as we're slow cooking)
8-10 stoned prunes
1 chopped carrot
Large glass red wine (pref a mini sized bottle, like you get on the plane)
1 beef stock cube
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp caraway seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 bay leaves
2 large potatoes

Preheat the oven to 150 deg and on the hob heat a little oil in a casserole dish. Add the red onion, garlic, herbs and lardons. Cook for a few minutes until the onions are clear and the bacon is cooked. Add a splash of wine to the mix and then remove with a slatted spoon and put in a jug or dish. Add half a pint of boiling water and the stock cube to the onions together with the rest of the wine and leave. Add the diced venison to the pan and the remainder of the juices that are still in the dish and brown the meat. I added a pinch of steak seasoning at this point. Once the meat is browned, add the stock and onions. Now add the celery, prunes, chopped carrot and bay leaves then season with some cracked black pepper. Cover, bring to the boil and remove from the hob. Place in the oven and cook for 2 hrs.
Thinly slice the potatoes with the skin still on and rinse thoroughly. Place in a colander, splash with olive oil and salt and mix together with your hands so the oil covers all the slices then set to rest and to allow the oil to soak in.
After 2 hrs in the oven, remove the dish and stir. If it is seeming a little dry, add a splash more water (or wine!). The juice level should just be below the meat at this stage. This should smell amazing by now. Carefully place the potato slices on the top of the meat in two layers and sprinkle with a little more oil and salt. Turn the heat up a little to 160 and put back in the oven for another 45 mins to an hour or until the potato slices become crisp and brown. You can always grate a little cheese on top about 10 mins before removing! Once bubbling and crisp, remove and set for a few mins before serving on maybe a bed of steamed savoy cabbage.