Game meatballs recipe in bean & red wine sauce

Ingredients
700g mixed game, minced
350g sausage meat
350g bacon, minced
100g chestnuts, roughly chopped
2 tsp fresh thyme
60g butter
2 whole brown onion, finely sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
35g plain flour
100ml red wine
1500ml chicken stock
125g cannellini beans, cooked
125g kidney beans, cooked
50ml vegetable oil

www.tasteofgame.org.uk

Serves 6

Mix the game meatballs recipe mince, sausage meat, minced bacon, chestnuts and thyme well together in a bowl. Season, and divide into 50g meatballs: you should get 30.

Fry the meatballs in half the butter and a little oil to give them a bit of colour, but don’t cook them any further. Remove from the pan and put aside.

Fry the onion in the remaining butter in an oven proof dish until soft and golden brown, then add the garlic and cook for another 3 minutes. Add the flour, stir well and cook out for a further 5 minutes. Pour in the red wine and stock, stirring continuously until you have a smooth, light sauce.

Add the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and place in the oven at 180˚C for 10 minutes. Mix in the beans and return to the oven uncovered for a further 8 minutes. Serve with mashed potatoes or fresh bread.