Venison with Creamed Cabbage and Chocolate Sauce

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

4 150g Fillets venison
250g shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
300g Smoked bacon lardons
4 Unpeeled garlic cloves, crushed
2 Sprigs thyme
2 Bay leaves
2 tsp black peppercorns, crushed
175ml red wine
1 Litre brown chicken stock
40g Bitter chocolate, grated
2 tsp raspberry vinegar
400g Carrot, peeled and diced
400g Celeriac, peeled and diced
100g bacon, chopped
50g Unsalted butter
1 Small savoy cabbage, finely shredded
200ml Double cream
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
4 used butter wrappers

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 220c.
Sauté the shallots, smoked bacon lardons, garlic, thyme, bay leaves and peppercorns in oil until caramelised. Add the wine and reduce until syrupy. Add the chicken stock and reduce to a sauce consistency.

Season and brown the venison in hot oil. Wrap in butter paper to help retain its moisture and cook in the oven at 220c for 6-8 minutes, turning half way through. Allow to rest in the butter paper before slicing.

Sauté all the vegetables with the bacon in the butter. Add the cabbage and cook for 3 -4 minutes. Add the cream and cook until lightly thickened. Keep warm for serving.

Meanwhile, pass the sauce through a sieve and return to a clean pan. Whisk in the grated chocolate until it melts but do not boil as the chocolate will 'split'. Taste and season if necessary, add the vinegar and allow to simmer gently. Set aside.

Place the cabbage in the middle of the plates, slice the venison and arrange on top. Pour the sauce around.