Ingredients

• 50g/1¾oz unsalted butter
• 150g/5½oz carrots
• cut into 7cm/2¾in batons
• 4 garlic cloves
• crushed
• 150g/5½oz bacon lardons
• 25g/1oz duck fat
• 150g/5½oz celeriac
• peeled and cut into 7cm/2¾in batons
• 1 savoy cabbage
• dark outer leaves removed
• cored and cut into 5mm/¼in slices
• 100ml/3½fl oz double cream
• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp finely chopped shallot
• 25ml/1fl oz raspberry vinegar
• 500ml/18fl oz red wine
• 150ml/¼ pint veal stock
• 50g/1¾oz dark chocolate (70 per cent cocoa solids)
• broken into pieces
• 30g/1oz unsalted butter
• 4 pieces venison loin (about 150g/5½oz each)
• 50g/1¾oz unsalted butter
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• For the cabbage
• heat 25g/1oz of the butter in a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Add the carrots and some seasoning and sweat until tender
• then add the garlic and cook for a few minutes
• stirring constantly.
• Transfer the carrots to a bowl using a slotted spoon
• then add the bacon to the pan. Fry for about 5 minutes
• until crisp
• then place into the bowl with the carrots. Add the duck fat and celeriac to the same pan and cook the celeriac slowly
• on a low heat
• adding a drop of water if necessary to prevent it catching and burning. Cook for about 10 minutes
• or until lightly browned and tender. Use the slotted spoon to transfer it to the bowl of carrots and bacon.
• Add another 25g/1oz of butter to the pan and when hot
• add the cabbage
• season and cover with a tight fitting lid. Cook the cabbage over a high heat
• shaking the pan occasionally to prevent it catching. Cook until tender
• then stir in the carrots
• bacon and celeriac
• along with the cream. Season with salt and pepper and set aside
• keeping warm.
• For the sauce
• add the oil to a frying pan and sweat the shallots over a medium heat for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the vinegar and allow it to evaporate completely. Add the wine and reduce it to about a quarter of its original volume (you should be left with 125ml/4 fl oz)
• then add the stock and chocolate. When the chocolate has melted
• whisk in the butter. Cover and keep warm.
• For the venison
• season the loins well with salt and pepper
• then heat the butter in another frying pan over a medium heat and cook the venison pieces for 4-5 minutes on each side for rare. The cooking time will depend on the thickness of the meat
• so cook it accordingly to your liking. Remove from the pan and rest on a plate
• covered with foil
• for 7 minutes.
• To serve
• slice each piece of venison and serve with the sauce and cabbage alongside.