Christmas is the perfect excuse to cook venison. Serve with sprout and apple slaw as a dinner party starter or festive light lunch to treat your guests
Nutrition and extra info
- Gluten-free
Nutrition: Per serving (4)
- kcal254
- fat11g
- saturates2g
- carbs9g
- sugars8g
- fibre5g
- protein26g
- salt0.3g
Ingredients
- 400g venison loin
Venison
ven-ee-sunThe term venison was originally used to describe the meat of any furred game, but in Britain it…
For the marinade
- 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
Rapeseed oil
If you want a light alternative to other cooking oils, rapeseed is a great choice and has…
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 juniper berries, crushed
- 2 rosemary sprigs, leaves picked and chopped
- ½ tsp fino or balsamic vinegar
For the slaw
- 200g Brussels sprouts, finely shredded
Brussels sprouts
bruss-ell spr-ow-tThe quintessential Christmas dinner veg, Brussels sprouts are thought to have been cultivated in…
- ½ orange, juiced and zested
Orange
or-angeOne of the best-known citrus fruits, oranges aren't necessarily orange - some varieties are…
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil, plus extra for frying
Rapeseed oil
If you want a light alternative to other cooking oils, rapeseed is a great choice and has…
- 1 green apple
Apple
ap-pelGrown in temperate regions, apples are one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits. There are…
- bunch of parsley, finely chopped
Parsley
par-sleeOne of the most ubiquitous herbs in British cookery, parsley is also popular in European and…
- ½ pomegranate, seeds only
Pomegranate
pom-ee-gran-atNow mainly grown in America, Spain, the Middle East and India, pomegranates originated in the…
- crème fraîche mixed with horseradish and 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds, toasted (optional), to serve
Method
Mix the marinade ingredients together and marinate the venison for a couple of hours in the fridge. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
For the slaw, put the sprouts in a bowl and pour over the orange juice. Season with salt and drizzle over some rapeseed oil. Using your hands, scrunch the sprouts in the dressing for a few minutes to tenderise them. Grate in the apple, allowing the juice to also dress the sprouts, then toss with the remaining ingredients. Check for seasoning and add more rapeseed oil if you think it needs it. It wants to be perfectly dressed, rather than greasy.
Heat a little rapeseed oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet or frying pan until smoking hot, then add the venison and cook for 2-3 mins until a caramelised crust has formed on the underside. Flip it over and cook for another couple of mins, making sure it's sealed all over. Place on a baking sheet and put in the oven for 5-6 mins, depending on how rare you like it. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for at least 5 mins, then slice. Spread some crème fraîche and horseradish over each plate and top with then venison. Serve the slaw on the side and scatter over the seeds, if you like.
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