Venison and cavolo Nero lasagne

Cabbage in a lasagne turns this into a real hearty comfort meal. I love Cavolo Nero and venison gives a traditional lasagne an autumn twist.

Ingredients

5 tbsp olive oil

1kg venison mince

2 red onions, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tbsp tomato purée

300 ml red wine

1 tin of chopped tomatoes

1.2 chicken stock

30g butter

1 cavolo Nero, large stems removed and roughly chopped

Fresh lasagne sheets

20g Parmesan, grated

1 ball of mozzarella torn

For the Bechamel sauce

1 litre milk

125g butter

125g plain flour

200g cheddar, grated

Method

Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil into a large pan, add the chopped onions and garlic. Fry for a few minutes until softened. Add the mince and fry until browned. Add the tomato purée and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the red wine, chopped tomatoes and stock. Season. Then bring to the boil and then turn the heat down to a simmer. Simmer for 1.5 hours until reduced.

Heat the rest of the oil and the butter into a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the cavolo, cook until wilted, season and put aside.

Make the bechamel, heat the butter until melted, add the flour and whisk in, cook over a low heat for a couple of minutes. Whisk in the milk and continue to whisk until thickened. Add the cheese and season. Remove from the heat.

When ready to assemble, pre heat oven to 180°. Spread a third of the mince into a dish ( 25x 16 x 6 cm deep) add a layer of lasagne, a layer of bechamel, more mince, lasagne, bechamel, cavolo, lasagne, bechamel. Then top with Parmesan and mozzarella.

Bake in oven for 45 minutes until golden.