Roast Venison Saddle with Butter Red Wine Reduction. This Winter dish evokes the colours, smell and tastes of winter and would make a show-stopping main at your next cool-weather dinner party.
Serves 4
Venison 720g fully trimmed venison saddle (back strap)
8 juniper berries
3 bay leaves
200ml vegetable oil
black pepper
Crush the juniper berries and combine with the bay leaf, black pepper and vegetable oil. Marinate the venison in this mix overnight.
Preheat the oven to 160°C.
Remove the meat from the marinade and toss with ½tsp of salt. Sear in a hot pan until caramelised all over.
Place in the oven for 10-15 minutes till medium rare.
Allow to rest for 10 minutes while preparing the other elements.
Spatzli
200g flour
2 eggs
75ml milk
15g yoghurt
50ml water
3 springs picked thyme
A pinch of salt, pepper and nutmeg
Whisk together the eggs and flour. Then whisk in remaining ingredients and allow the batter to rest for ½ hour.
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Prepare a bowl of iced water for refreshing the cooked spatzli.
Use a wooden spoon to press the dough through a spatzli pan or a large holed colander, directly into the boiling water. They will float to the top when cooked, approximately 5 minutes.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked dumplings to the iced water. When cool, drain and toss with 1 tsp of oil to stop them sticking.
Set aside and when ready to plate up dish, pan fry the spatzli in a hot pan with a little oil until golden.
Brussels Sprouts and Cranberries
160g Brussels sprouts
80g fresh or frozen cranberries
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp water
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp olive oil
Trim and thinly shave the Brussels sprouts with a mandolin.
Heat the brown sugar, water and cranberries in a pan over a high heat until soft, coloured and the sugar caramelises. Remove from the heat immediately and add the vinegar.
Toss the cranberries, olive il and sprouts together and set aside.
Butter Red Wine Reduction
2 french eschalots
100g butter
200ml chicken stock
80ml red wine
1tsp white pepper mignonette
1 1/2tsp chopped flat parsley
Peel and dice the eschalots finely.
In a pan over a low heat, sweat the eschalots with a 50g of butter until soft but without colour.
Add the red wine, pepper and stock and reduce to a 1/3 at a medium heat. Whisk in the remaining butter. Add the parsley and season to taste.
TO PLATE UP: Slice the venison into 4 equal pieces and serve with the spatzli, cranberry mix and sauce.
