Roberta Hall-McCarron’s venison saddle with cavolo nero and Jerusalem artichoke

Serves 4 Starters and mains

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Method

Start by making a Jerusalem artichoke purée. Peel the Jerusalem artichokes and cut into small pieces. Warm a medium pan and melt down 2tbsp of butter. Add in the chopped Jerusalem artichoke and sweat down for around 2 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt. Cover the pan with a lid and turn the heat down low. Cook for around 20-30 minutes, or until all of the Jerusalem artichoke is soft. Stir regularly to stop the pan from catching and burning.

Once cooked, add the milk and cream, bring to a simmer and reduce slightly until the liquid is just coating the artichokes. Transfer to a blender and mix until smooth. Season to taste.

Place the beetroot in a pan and cover with cold water. Add a generous pinch of salt. Bring the pan to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Simmer until the beetroots are cooked – this will take approx. 1-11⁄2 hours, depending on the size of the beetroots. You can check if they are cooked by piercing them with a knife – if it goes through without any resistance, then they are ready. Remove the beetroots from the water and allow to cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, remove the skin either with your hand or a knife – it should peel away fairly easily. Cut the beetroot into 3cm rough triangles.

Blanch the cavolo nero in boiling salty water for 2 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 175C/ 155C F/Gas 4. Season and sear the venison in a hot pan with a little oil until all the sides are golden brown. Place on a tray and put in the oven for 6-8 minutes (for rare – leave for 10-12 minutes if you prefer medium; 14-16 minutes for well done). Take out of the oven and rest for 5 minutes.

While the meat is resting, place the Jerusalem artichoke purée in a pot and warm.

Melt down some butter in a frying pan, add in the beetroot and caramelise. Core the apple and cut the pieces into a similar size and shape as the beetroot and add to the pan for 2 minutes. Place the beetroot and apple on 4 serving plates.

Add another knob of butter to the pan and add in the blanched cavolo nero and season. Sauté for a few minutes, then place next to the beetroot and apple on the plate. Put a dollop of warmed Jerusalem artichoke purée next to it.

To serve, simply slice the rested venison into 3 pieces per person and place on top of the cavolo nero.