Highland Deer, Dauphinoise – Red Cabbage 

 

This recipe is a take on one of our most popular restaurant dishes and is absolute decadence.  If you want something different from steak to impress your other half or your dinner guests, you can’t go far wrong with this autumnal delight.

Serves 4

Ingredients

Dauphinoise Potatoes

1-2kg Rooster potatoes – peeled

1 clove garlic, halved

Handful of thyme

1 tbsp. Butter – diced

500ml double cream

Parmesan cheese to scatter on the top

Salt and pepper

Braised Red Cabbage

25g butter

1 large onion, finely sliced

½ tsp ground allspice

¼ tsp ground ginger

1 cinnamon stick

1 large red cabbage – finely sliced

1 Braeburn apple – peeled and diced

50ml red wine vinegar

2 tbsp dark brown sugar

100ml apple juice

2 tbsp redcurrant jelly

Venison

Venison Loin (red deer) – 150g portion each

Red wine sauce

Butternut squash puree – optional

2 x butternut squash

Olive oil

Method

Preheat oven Gas 5/190c/ fan 170

To begin thinly slice the potatoes using a mandolin if you have one or a sharp knife.

Heat the cream gently in a pan on low heat with the garlic and thyme inside.  Layer up the potatoes in a small to medium oven-proof dish seasoning each layer as you go with salt and pepper.

Pour over the cream as you go until the potatoes have reached the top.  Scatter with parmesan and place in the oven and cook for 1 hour.

For the red cabbage begin by melting the butter in a large pan on medium heat and cook the onion for 5 minutes until soft.  Add in the spices and cinnamon stick and cook for 30 seconds. Add the cabbage, apple, vinegar, sugar, and apple juice.  Season with a small amount of salt then stir the mix thoroughly and cover tightly.  Simmer gently on low heat for 1½ - 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until very tender. Add a little extra water or apple juice if the cabbage gets too dry and starts to stick.

Stir in the redcurrant jelly and sit aside until needed.

For the butternut squash puree, peel the squash, remove the seeds, and slice into 8 pieces.  Take a large piece of tin foil, place it in the squash, season with salt, and cover with olive oil.  Bake in the oven for 40 minutes, remove and puree in a food processor.  Keep warm until needed.

The venison cooks quickly so ensure you have everything ready prior to cooking the meat.

In a frying pan with a small amount of oil, season the venison with salt and lower into the oil.  Colour on each side for a minute or two.  Then place in the oven for 4 minutes.  Remove and allow to rest for 4 minutes before slicing.  This cooking time will be cooked to around medium rare.

Bring everything together to the plate and serve with a red wine sauce enjoy!

Gary Townsend is head chef at One Devonshire Gardens by Hotel du Vin, Glasgow. See www.hotelduvin.com or phone 0141 378 0385 to book.

Twitter @Chefgtownsend

Instagram- @chef.g.townsend