Pan-Fried Loin Of Venison with Roasted Salsify & Dark Chocolate

  • Serves 4
loin of venison cooked

Ingredients

  • venison
  • 4 x 175g/ 6oz venison loin, fully trimmed, trimmings reserved
  • 16 thin slices pancetta
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 thyme sprig
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • jus
  • Venison trimmings
  • 1 onions, chopped
  • 2 carrot, peeled cut in half length way, and chopped
  • 1 juniper clove
  • ½ stick celery, chopped
  • 1 thyme sprig
  • 1 litre red wine
  • 2 litres chicken stock
  • 50g/ 2oz 66% dark chocolate, finely grated
  • vegetables
  • 200g/ 7oz butternut squash, cut into 2cm dice
  • 75ml/ 3floz olive oil
  • 2 thyme sprigs
  • 2 garlic cloves, skin on, crushed
  • 2 salsify root, washed, peeled and cut into 1cm x 4cm pieces
  • 500ml/ 18floz full fat milk
  • 30g/ 1¼oz shallots, finely diced
  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 4 tbsp flat leaf parsley, leaves picked and chopped
  • 25g/ 1oz butter
  • 50g/ 2oz wild mushrooms
  • 4 brussel sprouts, base removed, outer leaves and very centre leaves discarded, and remaining leaves separated

Method for venison

  1. Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2.
  2. Lay a piece of pancetta on a board.
  3. Trim the venison loin and roll the venison onto the pancetta (roll tightly).
  4. Seal the venison and pancetta on a pan on high heat until nice golden brown all round.
  5. Place in the oven and cook for 12/14 minutes.
  6. Remove and rest for 5 minutes.

Method for venison jus

  1. Heat a high sided sauté pan until hot, add the olive oil and venison trimming and cook for a couple of minutes until browned.
  2. Add the onion, carrot, juniper, celery and thyme.
  3. Cover the meat with red wine and bring to the boil, then cook until the red wine has reduced completely.
  4. Add 1/5th of the chicken stock and reduced until very little is left.
  5. Repeat the process with the chicken stock five times.
  6. Pass the jus through a muslin cloth into a clean pan.
  7. Whisk in the dark chocolate and check the seasoning.

Method for vegetables

  1. Place the butternut squash into a sauté pan with the olive oil, 1 thyme sprig and 1 crushed garlic clove and bring to a gentle simmer.
  2. Cook for 5 minutes until just tender.
  3. Place the salsify into a saucepan with the milk, chopped shallot, 2nd thyme sprig and crushed garlic.
  4. Bring to a simmer and poach until just cooked but still with a bit of a bite to it, remove, and pat dry on kitchen cloth.
  5. Heat a frying pan and heat until hot, add a little olive oil and the salsify and pan-fry quickly to a light golden color, then add the chopped parsley and garlic.
  6. Heat a frying pan until hot, add a little butter and sauté the wild mushrooms for 1-2 minutes.
  7. Bring a small pan of salted water to the boil, add the brussel sprout leaves and cook for 1 minute.
  8. Drain and refresh in iced water.
  9. Drain once more onto cloth or kitchen paper and pat dry.
  10. Toss with a little olive oil, salt and black pepper.

To serve

  1. Pile some salsify into the centre of the plate.
  2. Cut the venison into thick slices and place on top.
  3. Scatter some butternut squash and mushrooms around.
  4. Drizzle with jus then add some of the dressed sprout leaves.