There is a story behind this.  My sister has her kid in some new-age private school, and once a month all of the parents have a covered dish supper.  *Most* of the parents are of the vegetarian/birkenstock/hairy-legged persuasion.  Said sister is terrified of guns, doesn't hunt, cannot stand killing bambi ... and dearly loves wild venison, and I keep her supplied and send her kid (a decent 10 yr-old boy-child) weapons at every xmas and birthday.

Sister makes this dish 3-4 times a year and takes great evil delight in watching the vegetarians and animal lovers lick the 'vegetarian beef stew' bowl clean.  Around our place, we take all the trims of whatever critter(s) are handy, marinate them in bulk and freeze in heavy ziplocks, which means we can whip-up a fancy dish in a few hours notice.  Also, about any comvenient substitution works pretty good: sangria or chianti or port for the burgandy; leeks for the onions; rotel for the plum tomatoes.  Normally, when we serve, we'll put a handful of some flavored white cheese on top.  Down here, we have a lot of goat cheeses, but parmesan or mozarella works well, too.

Bob

Daube de Venison aux Olives Noires

This is a 'guest-quality' stew [as opposed to 'starving family' quality].  Excellent if cooked a day or two ahead, then re-heated. Requires 24-48+ hrs for meat to marinate properly.

The venison:

1 large orange
2+ tbsp garlic, coarse chopped enough to make 2 tbsp, or more
1 lg onion, quartered & thick sliced
2 cups cheap burgandy
2-4 bay leaves
3-4 sprigs ea. fresh cilantro, rosemary, thyme, & parsley, or 1½, each, tsp of dried
2 tbsp cracked peppercorns (any colour(s)), or whole
2 tbsp olive oil
3-5 lbs lean venison cut into 1" cubes.  ‘Trims' work nicely, just make sure the fat is gone.

Peel zest from orange w/sharp paring knife [& immediately eat rest of orange for strength], add everything to wine; add meat and mix together until well coated.  cover w/saran wrap [or put in large zip-lock]; refrigerate & turn 2-3 times/day.  Marinate at least 24 hrs, and 72 is none too long.

½-1 lb smoked slab bacon, lean as can be got and/or
1 lb salt pork as lean as you can get it
2-6 carrots
2-6 stalks celery
1-2 lg onion, ringed
1 large jar boiled pearl onions, drained
1 28oz can whole tomatoes or plum tomatoes, drained
½-1 lb fresh mushrooms slices ¼"
1 14oz can pitted black olives, drained
3-8 beef bullion cubes

Trim most of fat from salt pork; cut bacon & salt pork into ½-¼ cubes, fry until lightly browned [half-done]; add water to cover & boil 10 min; discard water and rinse pig well.  Chop or slice veggies into ½-¼" pcs.  Pick meat from marinade.  Reserve marinade; strain & add water to make 1 total quart of liquid; dissolve buillon cubes in marinade.

Into deep casserole, layer: pig, venison, carrots & celery, onion, toadstools & olives & pearl onions; add marinade to cover + 1-2".  bring to boil, cover and put in 350º oven for 3-4 hrs.  add additional marinade to keep level 1" up.

Thicken with 'kneaded butter' [work 3 tbsp flour into 3 tbsp butter until smooth] or cornstarch paste.  Serve with crusty bread and a hearty burgandy or good dago red.

Chicken or lean, fresh pork can be substituted for venison, but use cheap white wine and green olives.

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