Aged loin of Yorkshire venison

500g aged venison loin

24 baby bulls-blood beetroots
50ml sherry vinegar
100ml double cream

400ml beetroot juice
10ml rapeseed oil
40 elderberries (if unavailable 8 blackberries can be used)
8 beetroot or baby chard leaves

www.thedevonshirearms.co.uk

Serves 4

Remove any sinew from the venison, roll tightly in cling film and chill in the fridge for 2–3 hours.

Cover the baby beetroots with water in a pan and add a teaspoon each of salt and sugar and 40ml of the sherry vinegar. Bring to the boil, then simmer until the beetroots are tender. Take off the heat, allow to cool slightly in the water, then remove the beetroots. Using gloves, peel the beetroots by rubbing the skin, which will slide off with the beetroot keeping its natural shape.

Bring the cream to the boil in a clean pan. Slowly blend 12 of the cooked beetroots in the processor, adding just enough of the hot cream to blend smooth: the quantity required will depend on the size of the beets. Once smooth, pass the purée and keep warm.

To make the dressing reduce the beetroot juice down to 50ml, then whisk in the rapeseed oil and a few drops of sherry vinegar. Stir in the elderberries.

Bring the venison up to room temperature. Heat a large frying pan with a small amount of oil. Season the loin with sea salt and seal all around, then transfer to the oven at 190˚C for 4 minutes. Turn the meat and cook for a further 4 minutes. Remove from the oven, add a knob of butter and let it melt and start to foam, then baste the venison for a further minute. Finally, remove from the pan and place on a resting rack for around 10 minutes.

Once the venison has rested for around 8 minutes sauté the beetroot leaves in a little foaming butter then season.

To dress the plate start with a few dots of beetroot purée then add the warmed baby beetroot. Carve the venison into four, and finish the plate with the beetroot leaves, and the beetroot and elderberry dressing.