
Venison Sausage & Lentil Ragout
This winter delight comes from Julia. It’s the sort of cold-night dinner that feels like it’s been looking after itself all afternoon—because it has. You’ll want a crockpot or slow cooker, and a spoon big enough to be generous.
Equipment
- A Slow cooker or an oven-safe casserole
Ingredients
- 6 Venison sausages leave whole or twist into halves
use gluten free sausages to make a GF variant
- 1 cup brown lentils
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 lemon cut into wedges (to taste)
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 Tbsp ginger minced or grated
- 3 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp chilli to taste
- 500 g golden kumara cut into 2 cm cubes
use sweet potatoe if kumara isn't available.
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 2 Tbsp fresh rosemary chopped (plus extra to serve)
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 140c – if you are using an oven.
- Put the venison sausages into the casserole or slow cooker (whole, or twisted into halves).6 Venison sausages
- Tip in the lentils, onion, lemon wedges, garlic, ginger, tomato paste, chilli, kumara, stock, and chopped rosemary.1 cup brown lentils, 1 onion, 1 lemon, 3 cloves garlic, 1 Tbsp ginger, 3 Tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp chilli, 500 g golden kumara, 3 cups chicken stock, 2 Tbsp fresh rosemary
- Cook low and slow. Cover and cook on low for 5–6 hours. (The longer it goes, the more everything turns silky and spoonable.)
- Season. Taste and season as needed (salt and pepper are usually all it wants).
- Serve. Ladle into bowls and garnish with lemon slices/wedges and a final sprinkle of fresh rosemary.

