Venison tournedos

Serves 4 Starters and mains

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Method

To make the tournedos, lay down a few sheets of cling film on your work surface, then arrange the slices of pancetta at a slight angle and overlapping well. Next, spread out the wild garlic leaves in two rows so that they cover all of the pancetta. Finally, put the fillet on top of one half of the wild garlic. Using the cling film to help guide you, roll from the edge with the fillet on it to make a tight log shape. Once rolled, discard the cling film and use several lengths of butcher’s string to truss up the fillet, spacing them 2.5cm apart.

To cook the meat, you can either grill it over the fire or use a large skillet or griddle. You either want a good bed of coals or a really hot surface. Put the meat on the hot surface and sear it for 4-5 minutes on each side until it has developed a golden-brown crust.

Preheat the oven, if using, to 100C/80C Fan/Gas 1⁄2. Let the meat finish cooking at a low temperature either by putting it to the side of the fire, where the residual heat will finish the job, or by transferring it to a baking tray and putting it in the warm oven for around 5-10 minutes. Set the pan you cooked the meat in aside for when you make the jus.

While the tournedos are finishing, make the fondant potatoes. Heat the butter in a medium pan over a medium-high heat until foaming, then add the potatoes. Fry for around 5-6 minutes, or until golden brown, then turn them over and repeat. Add the stock, wild garlic leaves and rosemary and season well with salt and pepper. Cover the pan with a lid and turn the heat down to low. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Remove from the heat and keep covered so they stay warm.

When the meat is ready, it should be slightly firm to the touch with a bit of give and have an internal temperature of 55C. Remove the tournedos from the heat and leave to rest for 5 minutes. In a small pan, warm the beetroot and horseradish purée ready for serving.

To make the jus, reheat the pan you cooked the venison in over a medium heat and add 1tbsp
of the butter. Once melted, add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes until browned, then add the wine and continue cooking until the liquid is reduced by half. Add the stock and reduce by half again. Add the remaining 1tbsp of the butter and whisk until glossy and thick, then season with salt and pepper.

Just before serving, make the carrots and the sautéed hogweed shoots. Heat a small pan over
a high heat. Brush the pickled carrots with olive oil and sear them for 1-2 minutes until they have a bit of colour on them, then transfer to a serving dish. In the same pan, melt the butter, then add the hogweed, season well with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until wilted and the edges have crisped up. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice and transfer to a serving dish.

To serve, slice the tournedos, removing the string as you go, and arrange on plates. Serve straight away with the jus, purée, fondant potatoes and other vegetables.

TIP: To make very uniform fondant potatoes, use a 5cm wide plain cookie cutter to cut them out.

Pickled carrots

MAKES AROUND 500ML

Heat a small frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds and heat, stirring, for 3-4 minutes until toasted and fragrant. Put the carrots in a medium-sized preserving jar, add the cumin seeds and cover with the pickling liquid. Cover tightly and store at room temperature.

Pickling Liquid

MAKES 480ML

Put all of the ingredients and 240ml water in a saucepan and heat over a medium heat, stirring continuously, for 1 minute, until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Do not let the mixture boil.

Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool completely before using. It is important not to use the pickling liquid until cold. This will help the ingredients you’re pickling to maintain their firm texture.

Beetroot and wild horseradish purée

SERVES 8

Prepare to dirty cook the beetroot on hot coals by getting a good fire going. Once your bed of embers is ready, put the beetroot in among the coals and cook for 30 minutes, turning occasionally, using tongs, until they have formed a black crust all over. Remove from the fire and leave until cool enough to handle. Crack the beetroot open, remove the cooked interior and put it in a blender with the horseradish, vinegar, crème fraîche and 4tbsp water. Season well with salt and pepper, being particularly generous with the pepper. Blend for 2-3 minutes until smooth, then adjust the seasoning, if necessary.

Transfer to a pan and heat over a low heat until warm, then serve.