This recipe for venison "en croute" with chestnut and mushroom duxelle, celeriac purée, braised red cabbage, bitter chocolate and vinegar sauce comes from Alex Bentley, head chef at the Petersham, Richmond, Surrey.
INGREDIENTS
(Serves 6)
● 1 venison loin, seared
● 10cl rapeseed oil
● 225g butter
● 150g mushroom duxelle
● 8 chestnuts, cut in half
● 40g chicken mousse
● 1 sheet puff pastry
● 1 egg, beaten for egg wash
● 2 medium celeriac, medium diced
● 1 litre milk
● 1 red cabbage, sliced
● 400ml olive oil
● 600ml red wine1 tbs redcurrant jelly
● Szechwan pepper
● 1 stick of cinnamon
● 250ml veal jus, reduced with balsamic vinegar
● 250ml bitter chocolate
● Salt & pepper
METHOD
Pre-heat oven to 180°C. Season and seal venison loin in a hot pan in the rapeseed oil and 25g of butter. Rest and chill.
Mix the mushroom duxelle and chicken mousse together and pipe on to venison loin. Place the chestnuts on top of the mousse and wrap with crepinette. Wrap in puff pastry and egg wash. Place in fridge.
Put celeriac in pan with butter, salt and pepper. Sweat off, then add milk and poach until soft. Drain and blend until very smooth.
Marinate the red cabbage in the red wine for 30 minutes, then drain off the liquid. Place the red cabbage in a hot pan with the olive oil, 50g of butter and pinch of salt. Sweat off and add redcurrant jelly and caramelise with the Szechwan pepper and cinnamon. Braise for 50 minutes until just cooked.
Egg wash the puff pastry for the second time. Remove the venison from fridge and cook in the oven for 14 minutes. Meanwhile, melt the bitter chocolate in the veal jus and balsamic vinegar.
Remove venison from oven, allow to rest for a couple of minutes and slice. Serve with celeriac and red cabbage, and pour around the veal jus enriched with the chocolate.