Fallow deer, pumpkin, passion fruit and smoked sauce grand veneur

Ingredients

• 1 venison loin, preferably fallow deer
• butter
• salt
• 1.5 kg venison bones, chopped
• 2 shallots, finely sliced
• 1 sprig of thyme
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 dash of oil
• 1.2 l chicken stock, plus extra to cover
• 70 g of 75% dark chocolate
• 375 ml of Madeira
• 375 ml of port
• 3 shallots, finely sliced
• 10 g of thyme
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped or crushed
• 3 black peppercorns
• 1 dash of oil
• 2 large potatoes
• vegetable oil, for frying
• salt
• 1 kg pumpkin, Delica variety
• 200 g of salted butter, plus a little extra for reheating
• 100 g of pumpkin seeds, lightly toasted
• 10 g of mixed herbs, such as parsley, tarragon and chives
• 6 passion fruits
• 100 g of butter
• 1 pinch of salt
• baby basil, to garnish

Instructions

1. 1

   Begin by placing the chocolate in a Bradley smoker, leaving it to cold-smoke for 2 hours

2. 2

   Meanwhile, make a venison jus for the sauce grand veneur. Place a large pan over a high heat with a splash of oil, add the chopped venison bones and cook until caramelised

3. 3

   Add the shallots, thyme and black pepper and allow the shallots to caramelise, then deglaze the pan with 400ml of the chicken stock and reduce by three-quarters

4. 4

   Add another 400ml of stock, reduce again, then repeat again with the remaining 400ml of stock. Transfer to a pressure cooker, top up with enough extra chicken stock to cover and cook for 45 minutes.

5. 5

   While the venison jus is reducing begin to prepare the sauce grand veneur. Add a little oil to a separate pan and sweat down the shallots with the thyme, garlic and peppercorns. Pour in the Madeira and reduce to a glaze, then add the Port and reduce again

6. 6

   Pass the jus through a fine sieve into a clean pan and reduce down to a sauce-like consistency. Weigh out 400ml and add this to the sauce, then pass the liquid through a fine sieve into a clean pan. Reduce down to a sauce-like consistency and stir in the smoked chocolate until melted. Set aside and keep warm until ready to serve

7. 7

   For the pomme soufflé, wash and peel the potatoes before slicing lengthways into 6 even slices approximately 6mm thick. Pat the slices dry with paper towel

8. 8

   Fill a pan a quarter full with vegetable oil and heat to 110°C. Fill another pan almost to the top with vegetable oil and heat carefully to 200°C, maintaining the temperatures in both pans

9. 9

   Add the potato slices to the pan with the 110°C oil and shake constantly until they start to puff up slightly. Transfer the slices one by one into the 200°C oil using spoons or tongs, frying until puffed and golden. Remove and place on greaseproof paper to cool, then wrap in cling film and place in the fridge

10. 10

    For the pumpkin confit, peel the pumpkin and cut in half. Scoop out the seeds and sinews, then cut twelve small curved wedges, reserving the rest of the flesh for the purée

11. 11

    Add the salted butter to a deep pan and place over a moderate heat to melt, not allowing it to boil. Add the pumpkin wedges to the pan and cook in the hot butter for 20–30 minutes until soft and fondant-like, then cool and chill until ready to serve

12. 12

    Preheat a water bath to 65°C

13. 13

    Remove all sinew from the venison loin, slice into six portions and season well with salt. Seal the portions in vacuum bags and cook in a water bath for 20–30 minutes depending on the size of the portions

14. 14

    Preheat a steam oven to 100°C

15. 15

    Meanwhile, prepare the pumpkin purée. Dice 600g of the remaining pumpkin flesh into small pieces and seal in a vacuum bag with the butter and salt. Place into the steam oven and cook until soft

16. 16

    Once cooked, transfer the softened pumpkin to a blender and blitz until smooth. Scoop out the seeds from the passion fruit, add to the purée and blend again. Season to taste and set aside

17. 17

    Add a few knobs of butter to a large frying pan and place over a moderate heat until the butter begins to foam. Remove the venison portions from the vacuum bags and sear in the hot butter until caramelised. Set aside to rest, reserving the juices from the pan

18. 18

    While the venison is resting, add a little butter to a frying pan and warm through the confit pumpkin wedges. Roughly chop together the toasted pumpkin seeds and mixed herbs to create a rough crumb and spread out on a plate. Remove the pumpkin wedges from the pan and roll in the crumb mixture to coat

19. 19

    For the pomme soufflé, heat a pan a quarter filled with oil to 210°C. Remove the potato slices from the fridge and fry in the hot oil, basting in the pan until puffed up and crisp on the outside. Remove from the pan and drain quickly on kitchen paper, seasoning generously with salt

20. 20

    To serve, carve the venison portions in half and place two pieces on each serving plate, arranging two wedges of pumpkin alongside. Add a quenelle of the purée and top with baby basil leaves, then pour over some of the warm sauce grand veneur and finish with the pomme soufflé and a drizzle of pan juices