Venison, Fruit, and Greens

By kallen2302

This is a wonderful way to serve venison and enjoy its remarkable flavor. If you don't have access to venison, you can substitute dark chicken meat. Serve this stew over wild rice.
Serves 10
COOKER: Large round or oval
SETTING AND COOK TIME: LOW for 7 to 8 hours

Ingredients

• GARNISHES:
• 3 to 4 pounds venison stew meat, trimmed of fat, tenderized by pounding, and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 cup pitted dates
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups Madeira or dry red wine
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil 6 cloves garlic. chopped
• 2 teaspoons crumbled dried thyme
• 8 juniper berries, crushed
• 4 black peppercorns, crushed
• 1 bay leaf
• Pinch of ground cloves
• 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar or honey
• 4 strips thick-sliced bacon
• 1 bunch Swiss chard. spinach, or mustard greens, trimmed of heavy stems and cut into 1-inch-wide ribbons
• 2 cups coarsely chopped dried assorted fruits (apples, apricots, figs, peaches, and/or pears), steeped in boiling water for at least 1 hour and drained

Preparation

Step 1

1. Place all the ingredients into the slow cooker except for tho garnishes, and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours, stirring occasionally.
2.Right before serving, chop the bacon into small pieces and brown in a skillet, over medium heat. Remove the bacon when crisp but still tender, and drain on paper towels. Add the Swiss chard to the bacon drippings and cook, stirring, until just wilted. Remove from the heat, add the bacon back to the skillet, and stir to mix.
3. Serve the stew hot, topped with the assorted chopped fruits and sauteed greens.