Pan-fried Loin of Venison with Butternut Squash, Roasted Salsify, Venison Jus with Dark Chocolate and Brussels Sprout Salad

Ingredients

Contains: milk (auto-detected from the ingredients and method; we can miss things, so check labels)

• 16 thin slices pancetta
• 4 x 175g/6oz venison
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 thyme
• 1 garlic
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• trimmings (from above) venison
• 1 onion
• 2 carrot
• 1 juniper berry
• ½ stick celery
• 1 thyme
• 1 litre/1¾pints red wine
• 2 litres/3½ pints chicken stock
• 50g/2oz 6 per cent dark chocolate
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 200g/7oz butternut squash
• 75ml/3fl oz olive oil
• 1 thyme
• 1 garlic
• 30g/1oz shallots
• 2 salsify
• 500ml/18floz full fat milk
• 25g/1oz butter
• 4 tbsp flatleaf parsley
• 1 garlic
• 50g/2oz wild mushrooms
• 4 Brussels sprouts

Directions

Method written by CompKitchen from the ingredient list. Not the original author's method, not kitchen-tested.

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Peel the butternut squash, cut into cubes, toss with 75ml olive oil, one thyme and one garlic, then roast 25 minutes until tender and golden.

2. Peel the salsify and cut into 7cm (3in) lengths. Simmer in the milk with the butter, one garlic and a pinch of salt for 10 minutes until tender, then roast in the oven for 10 minutes until lightly golden.

3. Wrap each venison piece in 4 pancetta slices and season. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in an ovenproof pan, sear the venison and pancetta 2-3 minutes per side, then finish in the oven for 6-8 minutes until the thickest part reaches 145°F (63°C). Rest 3 minutes.

4. For the jus, brown the venison trimmings in the second tablespoon of olive oil. Add the chopped onion, carrot, celery, garlic, juniper berry and thyme and cook 10 minutes until softened.

5. Add the red wine and reduce by half. Add the chicken stock and simmer for 30 minutes until reduced and slightly syrupy.

6. Strain the jus into a clean pan, season with salt and pepper, and whisk in the dark chocolate off the heat until glossy.

7. Thinly slice the wild mushrooms and shallots and fry them in the pan fat left from the venison until golden. Shave the Brussels sprouts finely.

8. Toss the shaved sprouts with the mushrooms, shallots and chopped flatleaf parsley, season with salt and pepper and a little olive oil from the bottle to make a salad.

9. Slice the venison and serve with the roasted squash, salsify, Brussels sprout salad and warm venison jus.