Loin of venison with smoked celeriac and red kale

Ingredients
1.5 kg venison loin
1 celeriac, peeled & diced to 5mm
50ml smoked oil (Cotswold Gold is lovely)
500ml whipping cream
350ml madeira
1 litre chicken stock
1 small bunch of thyme
100g diced butter
1 red kale: black cabbage or curly kale are equally good

Holland & Holland
Head Chef: Joshua Hunter
www.hollandholland.com

Serves 6

Trim the loin to remove sinew, then cut into 3 even pieces. Keep the trim (you can ask the butcher to do this for you).

Sweat the celeriac with salt and pepper in the smoked oil in a heavy pan with a lid until tender. Add the cream and reduce until thickened and coating the celeriac. Lightly crush with a whisk or fork.

Roast any trim from the venison in a heavy pan. Once coloured, add the madeira and reduce by two-thirds then add the chicken stock and reduce till the sauce has some body. Strain through a sieve.

Preheat the oven to 180˚C (170˚C fan). Season the venison well with salt and pepper and colour each piece all over in a heavy cast iron pan or similar. Transfer to an oven proof tray, add a few sprigs of thyme, and roast in the oven for 8 minutes, turning halfway and adding the butter. This will cook the venison to medium rare: cook for 10 minutes for medium. Remove and rest for 10 minutes.

Blanch the kale in boiling salted water. Pour any resting juices and butter from the venison into the madeira jus. Slice the venison evenly and make sure the celeriac is piping hot. Plate and serve.