Venison cream goulash with pumpkin, mushrooms and spaetzle

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 400 g venison from the shoulder or leg
• 1 m.-large onion(s), red
• 1 clove(s) garlic
• 1 tbsp clarified butter
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp thyme, dried
• 200 ml port wine, red
• 100 ml Madeira
• 500 ml Game stock
• 250 g mushrooms, brown
• 250 g pumpkin flesh (Hokkaido or Butternut)
• 1 stalk(s) leek
• 400 g potatoes, waxy
• 250 g cream
• 5 g mushroom powder (porcini mushroom powder)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp allspice berries
• 1 tsp juniper berries
• 3 cloves
• ½ cinnamon stick(s)
• Sea salt
• Salt and pepper, black, freshly ground
• 25 g parsley, flat, finely chopped
• 250 g Spätzle, dried

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 2 hours; Total time approx. 2 hours 30 minutes

Cut the venison into approximately 2 x 2cm pieces and season lightly with salt. Dice the onions and finely chop the garlic. Place the bay leaves, allspice berries, juniper berries, cloves, and cinnamon stick in a spice bag. Heat the clarified butter in a roasting pan over high heat and sear the meat on all sides. Then add the onions and garlic and sauté until translucent, stirring constantly. Add the tomato paste and thyme and fry briefly. Deglaze with port wine and Madeira wine and simmer slightly. Then top up with the game stock, add the spice bag, and braise with the lid closed at medium heat for approximately 90 minutes. In the meantime, cut the mushrooms and leeks into approximately 0.5cm thick slices. Peel the potatoes, quarter them, and cut into medium-sized pieces. Also dice the pumpkin flesh into medium-sized pieces. After 90 minutes, add the cream, porcini mushroom powder, a little black pepper, and the prepared vegetables to the roasting pan and cook with the lid closed at medium heat for another 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Finally, season with salt and pepper. Cook the spaetzle in salted water according to the package instructions. To serve, place the spaetzle on a plate, top with the venison cream goulash, and sprinkle with finely chopped parsley.