Seared Venison Loin with Liquorice Sauce and Colcannon

Seared Venison Loin with Liquorice Sauce and Colcannon

Serves: 4-6
Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking: 25 minutes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon (20ml) extra virgin olive oil
2 (800g-1kg) venison loins, silver-trimmed
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Colcannon
4 large (1.2kg) potatoes, unpeeled
90g butter, approx.
2½ cups (200g) savoy cabbage or cavolo nero, cored and finely shredded
1 onion, finely sliced
1 leek, finely sliced
½ cup (125ml) milk
½ cup (125ml) cream

Glazed parsnips
2 tablespoons (40g) butter
3 small (400g) parsnips, peeled and cut into 10cm batons
2 cups (500ml) water or chicken stock

Liquorice sauce
2 cups (500ml) beef or veal stock
½ cup (125ml) dry sherry
1½ tablespoons (30g) redcurrant jelly
1½ tablespoons liquorice root (or more or less to taste)
2 teaspoons (10ml) apple cider vinegar (or more or less to taste)

Method

1. For colcannon: place whole potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 25 minutes, or until tender.
2. Meanwhile, melt 15g butter in a medium frying pan and add the cabbage, onion and leek. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 6 minutes or until tender. Drain the potatoes and leave to steam for a few minutes before peeling off the skins. (The best way to do this is to skewer each potato with a fork, and holding the potato up by the handle of the fork, gently peel away the skin.)  While the potatoes are still hot push them through a ricer, mouli or sieve back into the saucepan.
3. Meanwhile, heat the milk, cream and 2 tablespoons of remaining butter (in a small saucepan or the microwave). Pour milk mixture over the potatoes and beat well. Taste and check the texture of the potato, and if desired, beat in the remaining butter. Season well with salt and pepper. Finally, fold through the cabbage and onion mixture and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Keep warm until needed.
4. For glazed parsnips: melt butter in a medium frying pan over medium high heat. Add parsnips and toss until just beginning to colour. Pour over water or stock and bring to the boil.  Reduce heat and cook until the liquid has evaporated and the parsnips are tender, about 10 minutes.  Add extra water if necessary.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Keep warm until needed.
5. Pre-heat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced).
6. Heat a large frying pan over high heat and add oil. If the venison loins are too long for the diameter of your pan, cut in half vertically. Season venison with salt and pepper and brown quickly on all sides for 3 minutes.  Remove venison to a baking tray and roast in the pre-heated oven for 6 minutes for rare.  Cover loosely with foil and rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
7. Meanwhile return venison frying pan to heat and add stock, sherry, redcurrant jelly and liquorice root. Bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the redcurrant jelly and disgorge any sediment.  Reduce over medium-high heat until thickened and reduced by approximately half.  Strain into a small saucepan, discarding liquorice root.  Add apple cider vinegar to taste and season with salt and pepper.  Keep warm until needed.
8. To serve, place a spoonful of the warm colcannon and some glazed parsnips on each plate. Top with thick slices of venison and drizzle with liquorice sauce.

Recipe from Lyndey Milan’s Taste of Ireland. Episode 8.