Venison, Celeriac and Mushroom Pudding

Method 1. To begin, make the filling. Season the venison well with salt and pepper, heat some oil in a heavy-based frying pan and seal the venison over a high heat, caramelising well until browned all over 2. Tip the venison into a casserole dish and deglaze the pan with a splash of wine 20ml, scraping the bottom to remove any bits stuck to the bottom. Add this liquid to the venison and wipe out the pan. Add some more oil, cook the lardons until the fat starts to render then add the onion and garlic 3. Cook for around 10 minutes, stirring often until the onion is soft. Add the mushrooms, raise the heat and cook until they start to colour. Add this mixture to the casserole dish. Add the remaining wine to the pan, reduce to a syrup, then add the stock and bring to a simmer 4. Preheat the oven to 140°C/gas mark 1 5. Pour the liquid into the casserole with the venison, mix well and add the bouquet garni. Cover and cook in the oven for 1 hour 6. After this time, stir the celeriac into the venison and cook for a further 20 minutes 7. Check that the meat and celeriac are tender then remove from the oven. Drain the majority of the cooking liquid into a clean saucepan and reduce to approximately 150ml 8. Thicken with the cornflour, adding gradually until the sauce is a thick double cream consistency. Remove the bouquet garni from the venison, squeezing out any liquid. Add the sauce to the venison to moisten 9. To make the suet pastry, sift the flour and salt into a bowl and stir in the suet. Gradually add cold water, mixing with a blunt knife until a soft dough is formed 10. Flour a work surface and knead the dough quickly into a ball. Cut two thirds of the dough and roll into a sheet around 4mm thick. Cut out rough circles measuring 20cm in diameter. Roll the remaining pastry with the trimmings and cut out 12cm circles for the lids 11. To assemble, butter four 10cm aluminium pudding basins and line with the larger pastry circles. Trim the excess, leaving around 1cm overhang. Fill the basins with the venison mixture 12. Brush the lids with water and place over the filling, squeezing the two layers of pastry together. Trim any excess 13. Brush around the rim of the pudding with water and roll the sealed edge inwards to create a double seal around the rim 14. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4 15. Place the puddings on a baking tray and bake for 20–30 minutes, until the pastry is crisp and golden and the filling is hot right through 16. The puddings should tip out but may need the point of a knife run between the pastry and the basin to help them along. Serve with seasonal greens, roasted carrots and mash