Ingredients
1.4kg/3lb venison (preferably from the shin)
1 sliced onion
1 sliced carrot
fat for browning
2 teacupfuls of water
a few dried mushrooms
pepper
plenty of herbs (no rosemary or sage)
a little salt
1 clove of garlic
a thick slice of fat ham or bacon

For the marinade
sliced onion
a chopped carrot
stick of celery
cupful of warmed olive oil
a clove or two of garlic
2 bay leaves
thyme or marjoram
ground black pepper
a little salt
1 tbsp crushed coriander
half a bottle of red wine
thyme or marjoram
ground black pepper
a little salt
1 tbsp of crushed coriander seeds

For the cherry sauce
1 breakfast cupful of bottled cherries, stoned
2 tbsp of redcurrant jelly
a scrap of black pepper
1 tsp of wine vinegar
2 tsp crushed coriander seeds

Method
1. For a piece of venison weighing about 1.4kg/3lb (preferably from the shin of the animal, and boned) make a cooked marinade consisting of a sliced onion, a chopped carrot, a small stick of celery lightly browned in a cupful of warmed olive oil. When these have been cooking 5 minutes add a clove or two of garlic, 2 bay leaves, thyme or marjoram, ground black pepper, a little salt, and 15g/1 tbsp crushed coriander seeds. Pour a half bottle of red wine into the pan and simmer the marinade for about 15 minutes. When it has cooled, pour it over the meat.
2. Leave the venison in the marinade for 2 days. To cook the meat, take it from the marinade and free it from any pieces of vegetables sticking to it. Brown it in the hot fat, put in an earthenware pot into which it will fit without too much space to spare. In the same pan fry a sliced onion and a sliced carrot. Put these into the pot, pour over the strained marinade, add 2 teacupfuls of water, a few dried mushrooms, pepper, plenty of herbs (no rosemary or sage), a little salt, and a clove of garlic. Over the top of the venison put a thick slice of fat ham or bacon. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and let the liquid just come to the boil. Thereafter let it cook very slowly, preferably in the oven for about 3½ hours.
3. While the meat is cooking prepare the cherry sauce. Take the stones out of a breakfast cupful of bottled cherries. In a small pan dissolve 30g/2 tbsp of redcurrant jelly. Add the cherries and a little of their juice, a scrap of black pepper, a 1 tsp wine vinegar, 10g/2tsp crushed coriander seeds. Simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Fifteen minutes before serving press all the liquid and the vegetables from the venison through a sieve. Keep the meat hot in its covered pan. Reduce the sauce obtained from the venison to two thirds of its volume by rapid boiling. Add it to the cherry sauce and pour the whole thing back over the meat. Cut the slice of bacon into large squares, put it round the meat, and return the pot to the oven for a few minutes.
5. The coriander seeds are important to the dish - they give an aromatic orangey flavour.
6. Brown lentils go well with stewed venison.