Wild Venison Ragu with Pappardelle

Cooked in a bold, gutsy wine and vegetable sauce. Everything is cut small for maximum flavour. This is not a Tuesday night quickie - this is slow-cooked, big-flavour comfort food at its best.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

• 1 large brown onion, peeled and finely diced
• Salt, to season
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 3 sticks celery, trimmed and finely diced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced
• 1kg Spring Ridge Venison Diced
• ½ bottle gutsy Barossa Shiraz (or any bold red wine you love)
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 x 500ml jars good quality rich tomato pasta sauce
• 1 cup beef stock
• 2-3 anchovy fillets
• Handful of fresh basil leaves, torn
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• Olive oil

HOW TO COOK IT

1. Heat a generous drizzle of olive oil in a large, heavy-based pan over medium heat. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook until softened and translucent. Add the garlic, celery, and carrots, and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring often, until softened.

2. Turn up the heat slightly and add the venison, browning it all over. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes to caramelise.

3. Pour in the red wine, letting it bubble away for a few minutes to cook off the alcohol. Add the tomato pasta sauce and beef stock, then drop in the anchovy fillets, breaking them up so they melt into the sauce. Stir well.

4. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer gently, uncovered, for at least 4 hours (longer if you can), until the venison is tender, broken down, and the sauce is rich and thick. Stir occasionally and add a splash of water if it reduces too much.

5. Towards the end of cooking, stir through the balsamic vinegar and basil leaves. Taste and adjust with salt and black pepper.

6. Serve tossed through pappardelle, with grated parmesan and extra basil on top if you fancy.