TIRED of eating the same meals every week? Why not try something that’s a bit different?

Venison is an easy to cook, healthy alternative to beef and chicken, and can be cooked at home in a variety of different ways. More families are looking to brighten up the family dinner menu with healthier meal alternatives, and with only two per cent fat, a venison steak is leaner than a chicken breast.

It’s also low on calories and high in polyunsaturated fats.

SERVES 4
Ingredients
4 x 150g venison loins
400g carrots (1/2inch dice)
400g celeriac (1/2inch dice)
300g smoked bacon (1/2inch lardons)
50g butter
1/2 small Savoy cabbage (thinly sliced)
200ml double cream
Seasoning
For the sauce:
2litres stock (game/chicken)
500g shallots (rough chop)
1tblsp rapeseed oil
4 cloves garlic (unpeeled and crushed)
25g butter
2 sprigs of thyme
1 bay leaf
2 tsp black peppercorns
2 tsp raspberry vinegar
1 x 75cl bottle of red wine
40g dark chocolate (70 per cent solids broken in to small pieces)

Method

Pre-heat oven to 220C. To make the sauce have the stock ready.

Using a large saucepan, sauté the shallots and garlic in half the butter along with the thyme, bay leaf and peppercorns until nicely caramelised and softened.

Deglaze the pan with the raspberry vinegar then pour in the wine and reduce to about 100ml and until it is syrupy in consistency Add the stock and reduce to about 600ml. When ready, pour the sauce through a fine sieve, rubbing gently with the back of a ladle. Return to the pan and add the chocolate, stirring until it melts – reheating gently if necessary but taking care not to let the sauce boil. Check the seasoning.

In another saucepan, sauté the carrots, celeriac and bacon in the other half of the butter until golden brown. Place half of this mix into a separate pan and set aside.

Add the cabbage to the remaining mix of carrots, celariac and bacon and cook for three or four minutes, then drain the butter from the mixture and add the cream.

Boil briskly to reduce by half until thickened. Check seasoning and set aside.

Season the venison steaks, heat the oil in an ovenproof sauté pan and brown the steaks all over until well sealed – this should take about three or four minutes.

Cover with a buttered piece of greaseproof paper and roast in the oven for four or five minutes. Then remove it from oven and set aside to rest. The venison should be slightly pink in the middle.

Reheat the cabbage mixture and the uncreamed vegetables separately. Gently reheat the sauce, being careful not to let it boil or it will split. Spoon the cabbage on to warm plates. Slice the venison and arrange on top.

Arrange the remaining vegetables around the plates, coat the meat with the sauce and serve.