Ingredients

Serves: 4

  • 4 x 150g venison loin, trimmed of all sinew & silverskin
  • 150ml PX sherry
  • handful of hazelnuts
  • olive oil
  • Beetroot purée
  • 10 small beetroot, cooked
  • 50ml apple juice
  • 15ml sherry vinegar
  • sea salt

For the mushrooms

  • 150g girolles, or any other combination of wild mushrooms
  • butter
  • olive oil
  • sea salt

Method

  1. For the beetroot purée: In a small pot, bring the cooked beetroot, apple juice, and sherry vinegar to the boil. Season to taste (you may need more liquid or vinegar to achieve the correct texture) and blend in a food processor until extremely smooth.
  2. In a frying pan over a high heat, add a little olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the venison, seasoned with a little salt. Brown on all sides and then baste with a little butter until golden for 5 minutes. Rest in a warm place for another 5 minutes.
  3. Discard the fat from the pan and deglaze with the PX sherry. Reduce the sherry until it coats the back of a spoon. If you want to cook the venison more than this (medium-rare) you can place it in a 180°C oven for another 5 minutes. Venison is very lean and I don't recommend cooking it beyond medium.
  4. For the mushrooms: Heat a pan until hot. Add some olive oil and fry the mushrooms briefly. Season with salt and add a little butter.
  5. To serve: Spoon the beetroot purée on to the plate and flatten with a small spatula. Place the mushrooms on top of the purée. Carve each piece of venison into two and rest on top of the mushrooms. Finally, grate some hazelnuts over the venison.