Cutlet of venison, haggis tortellini, caraway and lemon-roasted sw – by Nigel Mendham
Ingredients
(Serves six)
1 saddle of venison
For the pasta dough (enough for 20 portions)
550g "00" flour
4 whole eggs
6 egg yolks
1tsp salt
1tbs olive oil
For the haggis mousse (enough for about 20 portions) 500g haggis
2 chicken suprêmes
Cayenne pepper
Nutmeg
2 eggs
120ml double cream
Malt whisky
For the swede 1 swede
1 lemon
1tsp caraway seeds
50g butter
For the venison sauce (about 12 servings)
50ml oil
375ml red wine
250ml venison stock
250ml chicken stock
500g venison trimmings
Red wine vinegar
1 leek
1 carrot
2 sticks celery
4 shallots
Juniper berries
Thyme
200ml port
Method Cut the saddle of venison so you have six bone racks. Remove fat and sinew, cut into cutlets and clean the bone.
For the pasta dough, blend together flour, salt and olive oil, beat the eggs and slowly knead into the flour, until dough comes together. Wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate.
For the haggis mousse, remove skin and any excess sinew from the suprêmes. Robot Coupe until smooth, pass through a fine drum sieve and chill until required. Simmer the haggis for 2-3 hours. Remove from skin, pour over the whisky and cool. Put the chicken base back into the processor, add cayenne pepper and a good grating of nutmeg, then add the eggs until all comes together. Finally, add the double cream, blend again, season with salt and lemon juice. Mix chicken mousse with haggis.
For the tortellini, roll out the pasta to the lowest setting and cut out 8cm discs. Place one heaped dessert spoon of the haggis mixture into the centre of each disc and make the tortellini.
For the swede, cut into 1cm dice and blanch for three minutes. Drain and steam so any remaining water in the swede evaporates. Foam the butter, add the caraway seeds, lemon zest and finally the swede. SautŽ until golden brown. Finish with lemon juice.
For the venison stock, colour venison trimmings in a hot pan, remove excess fat and deglaze with 2tbs red wine vinegar. Add the diced vegetables and cook until softened and lightly coloured. Add a half-bottle of red wine and reduce. Add port and stocks, simmer until reduced by half, pass through muslin cloth and correct seasoning.
In a hot pan, seal off the cutlet and roast for four minutes. Allow to rest. In a pan of boiling water, cook off the tortellini. Put the diced swede in the centre of the plate, venison cutlet on top, with the tortellini to the side. We also serve this with cabbage balls.
Nigel Mendham, head chef, the Samling, Ambleside, Cumbria
