Game on - Game Pie recipe By Walter Walker of the Royal Marine Hotel

He says, “This is a brilliant time of year when lots of ingredients are at their peak, like wild venison which is simply delicious.”

The Royal Marine Hotel Brora always uses the finest seasonal produce from both the land and sea. Walter explains, “We try to use as much local produce as possible, including Robert Grant’s the butchers in Golspie, who supply us with the best meat from the surrounding area.”

The Royal Marine’s fine dining restaurant, called the Curing Yard features modern Scottish cuisine on its menu. You will also find lots of cured meats and fish including Steelhead trout from Kames, and homegrown garden herbs. Walter is keen to support small scale producers like Bogrow Farm. He says, “They are just up the road and provide us with great tasting cured venison and salami.”

Walter is also a big fan of Scottish seafood, his favourite fish being sea bass. The Curing Yard fine dining restaurant was historically a place for curing fish, so as a nod to the past he ensures cured fish and meat make it onto his menu.

Walter says, “I’ve been pickling and brining stuff for years, so we cure our own fish, we have a delicious beetroot-cured trout, and pickled herring on the menu. Duck and pickled red cabbage is extremely popular.”