When cooking at home, I always keep it simple but make sure to choose high-quality ingredients, which really elevate any dish. I love incorporating Irish artisan foods into my recipes, and venison is a fantastic alternative to beef that’s becoming more accessible. For this dish, I use Cáis na Tíre, an Irish raw milk cheese, which melts beautifully into the sauce, perfectly complementing the rich venison. Trofie pasta is my go-to because it holds up well and doesn’t overcook easily, but feel free to use your favourite pasta shape for this recipe. This is also an excellent recipe for a slow cooker – just let the venison ragu simmer low and slow for extra richness and tenderness, making it even more convenient for busy days.

Method

1. Heat a large pan with olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the venison mince, season generously with salt and pepper, and cook, breaking it apart until browned. Once the meat is cooked, remove and set aside.
2. Using the same pan, reduce the heat to medium and add diced onion, carrots and celery. Cook for 7-8 minutes until they begin to soften. Stir in minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
3. Deglaze the pan with red wine, scraping up any flavourful bits stuck to the bottom. Let the wine reduce by half. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, stock, thyme and bay leaf. Return the venison to the pan and stir everything together.
4. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then lower the heat and cover. Cook for 1 to 1½ hours, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the flavours intensify.
5. As the ragu finishes cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the trofie pasta according to the package instructions, then drain.
6. Toss the pasta with the venison ragu, and serve with a generous sprinkling of freshly grated Cáis na Tíre cheese and a drizzle of high-quality olive oil for extra flavour.

Conor Halpenny is head chef and part owner of Square Restaurant in Dundalk, Co Louth. Conor previously worked at The Courthouse in Carrickmacross, Tankardstown House and Chapter One in Dublin (during which time he won the coveted Euro-Toques Young Chef of the Year award, in 2017). He went on to win the regional finals of the San Pellegrino Young Chef Academy competition, at the global finals held in Copenhagen. Conor is currently head of the Euro-Toques Food Council and a member of the Young Chef Committee, further contributing to Ireland’s vibrant culinary scene.

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