Venison Braised in Red Wine with Pancetta, Chestnuts & Smoked Garlic Mash

Recipe:
Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Slice off the top of the smoked garlic bulb, wrap in foil with a glug of oil and roast in the oven until soft – around 45 minutes.
Place a small casserole dish over medium heat, add a tablespoon of oil and start to sweat the onion, celery and garlic until soft – around 10 minutes.
Place a large skillet over medium-high heat, add a tablespoon of oil and cook the pancetta until the fat has rendered down and it starts to colour. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Toss the diced venison shoulder in the seasoned flour. Add to the pan in batches and cook quickly in the bacon fat left behind in the skillet until nicely browned on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Finally, add the button mushrooms to the skillet and cook for a few minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and deglaze the pan with a splash of the red wine. Transfer the venison, pancetta, mushrooms and deglazing liquid to the casserole dish.
Add the rest of the wine, together with the venison stock, bay leaf and thyme, and bring to a simmer. Place the lid over the casserole with a small gap and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 2–3 hours until the meat is very tender and falls apart easily. Add the chestnuts for the last 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
Add the potato to a pan of boiling water and cook for 15 minutes. Drain the cooked potatoes through a colander then return to the hot pan and leave to steam off any remaining liquid. Squeeze out the roasted garlic cloves into a pestle and mortar, add a teaspoon of salt and grind to a fine paste. Mash the potatoes, add the garlic paste, cream and butter and beat until smooth. Season to taste with salt.
Divide the braised venison between four bowls and serve with the mashed potatoes.