I do a similar recipe based on a lamb tagine recipe. Except I replace the lamb with venison, and use pumpkin or swede as the starchy veges as we can't do potatoes. I use cashews instead of the almonds in the original recipe. So it has venison, onions, pumpkin, carrots, maybe some swede, cashews, grated fresh ginger, cinnamon, dried apricots or prunes or both, some beef stock. Actually if I have to be completely honest, by the time I finish with it, it has only the vaguest resemblance to the original or to yours! But 6 -8 hours in the crockpot, it's good the first night and better the second night. Those pies look yum. That's one thing I miss, is a nice pie. GF ones are not that easy to find.