Venison Loin, Braised Shin & Artichoke
Serves 4
Ingredients
X4 trimmed loins of venison (approx. 120g each)
500g shin of venison
1kg of venison shoulder – minced
2 Litre of Venison or Beef Stock.
½ L of good chicken stock
Garlic – 3 fat cloves
Herbs – fresh if possible: rosemary, thyme
Pomme Purée (x4 potatoes, butter, milk and seasoning)
Mirepoix (diced 2 carrots, ½ celery, 2 onions)
200g diced (1cm) onion, carrot and celeriac
Tomato purée
x 4 baby artichokes
Oil and butter for frying
x 1 bottle red wine
x ½ bottle white wine
Melted chocolate for plating
METHOD
LOINS: Cook loins, trimmed of excess fat, in foaming butter for 2 mins each side, so still pink. Rest for 10 mins.
SHIN: Braise the venison shin in venison stock (or good beef stock) at 120˚C with mirepoix of vegetables, garlic, rosemary and thyme with lots of good red wine, for about 6 hours. Don’t be tempted to use plonk! The meat should now be very tender and once cooled you will be able to pick into threads. Pass the stock through a sieve and reduce until a syrup consistency. Pour the syrup stock over the braised meat and press in a small tray and leave to set in the fridge overnight. Turn out of the tray and cut into 3cm pieces. Pané (dip in seasoned flour, beaten egg and white breadcrumbs to give a coating) and put to one side.
SHEPHERD’S PIE: Sauté the mince until golden brown, drain off excess fat and put cooked meat in a bowl. Sauté 200g diced onion in the same pan used to colour venison. When golden brown add a tablespoon of tomato purée and cook out for 2 minutes. Add a bottle of good red wine and reduce until a syrup. Return the venison mince to the pan and cover with about 1 litre of the stock and simmer until no liquid is left. Add 200g of celeriac dice and carrot dice and then cover pan with cling film (a chef’s tip) or lid and leave to cook without heat until soft. Make a light pomme purée made with more milk than usual and pipe on top of the mince either in individual dishes or in a larger casserole.
ARTICHOKES: Peel baby artichokes and keep in acidulated water for 2 hours. Cook a diced carrot and the celeriac in 2 tablespoons of oil until soft. Add a clove of sliced garlic and cook for one minute before deglazing the pan with half a bottle of good white wine and reducing to a syrup. Add ½ litre of chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the artichokes and cook until soft.
PLATING UP:
When ready to serve:
Swipe plate with melted chocolate; fry the panéed shin in oil until golden and place on chocolate swipe. Add a portion of the shepherd’s pie. Warm the venison loins gently and cut in half. Cut the artichokes in half and arrange on the plate with a scattering of the diced vegetables. Garnish with celery leaves.
