Doxford Hall has welcomed David Quinn as its new head chef. Though it may take some effort, this venison dish is just simply stunning.
Ingredients
For the Braised Cabbage:
1 head of red cabbage
2 Bramley apples (peeled, cored and grated)
80g sultanas
300ml red wine
100ml port
500ml apple juice
Redcurrant jelly
1 star anise
1 strip of orange peel
½ cinnamon stick
For the Parsnip and Vanilla Puree:
6 large parsnips (peeled, quartered and the cored)
500ml milk
1 vanilla pod
50g unsalted butter
For the Parsnip Ecresse (Hash):
6 large parsnips (peeled, quartered and cored)
200g unsalted butter
50ml vegetable oil
For the Venison Sausage:
300g venison mince (or venison trimmings with the sinew removed)
150g pork sausage meat
100g fresh breadcrumbs
2 egg yolks
½ tsp ground juniper
½ tsp mixed spice
30g pistachio nuts
Zest and juice of 1 medium orange
Salt and pepper to taste
For the Chocolate Sauce:
1ltr of good quality beef stock
1ltr of good quality chicken stock
1 carrot
1 stick of celery
1 medium onion
100g venison trimmings
500ml red wine
200ml port
2 juniper berries
30g very dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids or above)
For the Roasted Salsify:
3-4 sticks of salsify
Cold water with lemon juice added
Unsalted butter
METHOD
Quarter the red cabbage, remove the core and finely shred. Sweat the cabbage in a heavy based pan until it starts to wilt. Add sultanas, spices and apple. Then add all the liquids ensuring the cabbage is covered. Simmer and stir (occasionally) until most of the liquid has gone. Add a tablespoon of redcurrant jelly and continue to cook until the remaining liquid is thick and the cabbage is sticky.
Dice the parsnips and sweat in a pan with a small amount of the butter (ensure they do not colour). Split the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape the seeds out. Cover the parsnips with the milk and add both the seeds and the pod. Simmer until parsnips are soft. Strain, but reserve the milk. Remove the vanilla pod and blitz the parsnips in a blender, slowly adding as much of the milk as is required to form a smooth puree.
Add the remaining butter and continuing to pulse in blender until the butter is emulsified, add salt to taste.
Roughly dice the prepared parsnips. Heat a heavy based pan, add the vegetable oil and fry the parsnips for 4-5 minutes. Stir vigorously. Add the butter and continue to stir until the parsnips are crushed.
For the venison sausage, combine all the ingredients in a large bowl or stand mixer and mix thoroughly. Form the mixture into balls (about the size of a golf ball), wrap individually in cling film, and tie a knot in the end. Place the balls in a pan of water, cover and simmer gently for 45 minutes.
Roughly dice the vegetables. Heat a heavy based pan, and using a little vegetable oil, fry the venison trimmings until well browned. Add the vegetables and juniper and fry for 2-3 minutes. De-glaze the pan with a little red wine. Add the remaining red wine, port and stocks and bring to the boil. Remove any fats that rise to the top and reduce the liquor to a light sauce consistency. Pass the sauce through a fine sieve and discard the vegetables and venison trimmings. Place the sauce in a clean pan. Add to the dark chocolate before serving.
Wash the salsify in cold water. Peel and cut into lengths of approx 2 inches. Blanche in salted water until tender and refresh in cold water to prevent further cooking.
TO SERVE
Sear the venison loin in a very hot pan, colouring all sides. Reduce the heat in the pan and add a generous knob of butter, a stick of thyme, a crushed garlic clove and a touch of salt. Keep the pan on a very low heat and turn the venison every 2 minutes (for 12 minutes) ensuring all sides are cooked evenly.
Allow the venison to rest in the pan for a further 6 minutes, then remove the loin from the pan and allow to rest further whilst you assemble the rest of the dish.
Place the sausages (1 per dish), still wrapped, in a pan of water and warm gently. Remove them from the water and unwrap. Place them in a clean pan with a little water and some of the Chocolate sauce, allow this to simmer and reduce, basting it over the sausages, until a rich, sticky glaze is formed. Sprinkle with a few chopped pistachio nuts and add to the plate.
Heat a sauté pan with a little vegetable oil and fry the salsify batons until golden brown, add a knob of butter and season. Remove and place on a clean towel or cloth to remove excess butter.
Place a portion of the red cabbage, and the parsnip ecresse on the plate and add the salsify. Sprinkle the dish with a few more chopped pistachios, add the venison loin. Warm 2-3 Brambles per plate in the sauce, remove and add to the dish. Finish with the chocolate sauce.
READ MORE: Check out our interview with head chef David Quinn, as well as more of his recipes to try out at home.
