Stelle Home Kitchen

  Casseroles and stews have been around for as long as people have been cooking — the kind of meal where whatever’s on hand goes into a pot to simmer together and meld its flavours. They’re unfussy, honest food, and using wild New Zealand venison paired with thyme gives this twist on classic Lancashire Hotpot a depth and earthiness that suits our cooler months perfectly. Wild venison is lean, organic, and full of flavour, and it works beautifully with the classic trio of onions, carrots, and parsnip. I use wild venison in most of my red‑meat cooking because my family are hunters and that's what’s usually in my freezer, but lamb or beef will work just as well. Browning the meat and onion first adds flavour, then everything softens together in a light thyme‑scented beef stock, and the potatoes on top soak up just enough of the juices while turning golden at the edges. It’s the sort of dish that feels right on a cold evening when you’ve come home tired and hungry, with a handful of si...