Fletchers of Auchtermuchty

Seriously Good Venison

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spice-crusted venison

Serves 4

This is Nick Nairn's recipe which he cooked for us at the 2000 Royal Highland Show and, as fans of his TV cooking will recognise, this has a lovely fresh taste, using a time-honoured ingredient with a modern slant.

Like most chefs, he calls venison sirloin venison fillet so I have corrected  that.  Venison sirloin is a marvellously tender cut, every bit as tender as beef fillet and rather similar proportions which explains the confusion.  You can either buy a piece of sirloin (223) and cut it yourself (this is what Nick did), or get us to do the work for you and ask for our medallions (218).

A true filet mignon venison fillet (219) would not produce the circular proportions that Nick used for the presentation of the dish, though by all means use it if you like.  You could also use venison stock.  I would ...

  • 4 x 150g (5oz) venison steaks, cut from the sirloin
  • 1 tsp crushed coriander
  • 1 tsp crushed cumin
  • 1 tsp crushed cardamom
  • 4 medium sized sweet potatoes
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 300g (10 oz) bok choi [also known as pak choi]
  • 1 tsp Kikkoman sauce
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds
  • 50ml (2 fl oz) reduced veal or beef stock
  • 1 tsp finely chopped root ginger
  • Maldon salt and freshly ground pepper

 Pre heat oven to 375F/190C/Gas Mark 5

Wrap the sweet potatoes in foil and bake in oven for 35-40 minutes, depending on size, until they pierce easily with a skewer. Remove skin and crush with a fork, adding the olive oil and seasoning.  Put the reduced stock in a pan, add the finely chopped ginger and the soy sauce and place over a low heat to allow the flavours to infuse.  Mix the coriander, cumin, and cardamom together on a plate. Press this mixture onto the venison fillets.  Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan and pan-fry venison fillets for 1-2 minutes each side.  Put on a plate and reserve in an warm place. Stir-fry the bok choi in a hot wok with a little sesame oil and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.

To serve the dish, place a round pastry cutter in the centre of each plate and spoon the sweet potato mix into the cutter, pressing down lightly to ensure the potato will hold its shape when the cutter is removed.  Remove the cutter and top the mould with sesame bok choi and top this with the venison fillet.  Strain, then spoon the soy flavoured sauce around each plate.  Serve immediately.

(c) Nick Nairn