Ingredients
(At Jacks we serve this dish with a steamed suet pudding with slow cooked venison shoulder inside but the dish works well at home with just a pan roast fillet, haunch or sirloin.)
Pickled white cabbage (best done at least two days prior to eating:
– 1/4 white cabbage (deveined and finely sliced)
– 100ml sherry vinegar
– 100ml white wine vinegar
– 50g sugar
– 1 thumb fresh ginger (peeled and grated)
– 1 fresh chilli (roughly chopped)
Carrot puree:
– 1kg new season carrots
– 500ml veg stock
– 75g butter
– 2 star anise
Venison:
– Venison steaks
– Vegetable oil
– Salt and pepper
– Large glass of red wine
– 1 litre chicken or beef stock
– A few juniper berries
– 2tbsps redcurrant jelly
Method
Pickled white cabbage:
1. Bring the two vinegars and the sugar to the boil add the ginger, chilli and juniper berries and reduce by 1/4.
2. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for fifteen minutes, then pour through a sieve over the cabbage (removing chilli etc), cover with parchment and cool fully.
Carrot puree:
1. Cook the carrots slowly in the butter with the star anise, allow to break down gently and slightly caramelise.
2. Remove the star anise, and place in a food processor and blitz, gradually adding the stock until a glossy and smooth puree is achieved (you probably will not use all of the stock).
Venison:
1. Take your venison steaks and seal in a hot pan with vegetable oil then roast in the same pan through the oven (190◦c) for 7-10 minutes (depending on the size and cut, you must make sure it is nice and pink in the middle).
2. Season the meat in the pan with salt and black pepper.
3. When cooked, remove, put the venison somewhere warm to rest and tip any excess oil from the pan.
4. Return the same pan to the heat and pour in a good size glass of red wine, allow to reduce and scrape the pan to release the flavour of the venison you cooked in it. Add a litre of chicken or beef stock to the reduced red wine and a couple of juniper berries and reduce down to a sauce.
5. When it is nearly reduced, add 2tbsps redcurrant jelly, mix in thoroughly and then pass through a fine sieve (and ideally muslin) into another pan. It should only take you 5 minutes to make the sauce but if it takes you a bit longer you may need to put the venison back into the hot oven for a minute to bring it back up to temperature.
Place the warmed cabbage and carrot puree on the plate then the carved venison, pour over the red wine sauce, finish with a pinch of Cornish sea salt.