Roast venison and pear salad with toasted hazelnuts
- Preparation and cooking time
- Total time
- + overnight marinating
- Easy
- Serves 6
Ingredients
VENISON
- a sprig thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 5 black peppercorns
- 3 cloves garlic, bashed
- 100ml cold-pressed rapeseed oil
- 400g boneless venison loin
- 40g unsalted butter
DRESSING
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 50ml cold-pressed rapeseed oil
TO SERVE
- torn round lettuce
- 2 chicory, halved, cored and leaves separated
- a handful hazelnuts, toasted and lightly crushed
- 2 ripe Conference or Williams pears, cored and thinly sliced
Method
- STEP 1
Mix together the thyme, bay, peppercorns, garlic and rapeseed oil in a large bowl, then add the venison loin and toss well. Cover and leave to marinate overnight.
- STEP 2
For the dressing, whisk together the mustard and vinegar until emulsified. Slowly add the rapeseed oil until combined, thick and creamy, then season to taste.
- STEP 3
Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6 and heat a heavy-based frying pan until hot. Spoon 1 tbsp of the marinade into the pan, then cook the venison for 1 minute on each of the larger sides, followed by 30 seconds on each of the smaller sides, adding the butter to the pan for these. Put the venison onto a small roasting tray, season really well all over, and put in the oven for 5-8 minutes (depending on thickness) for rare. Put onto a plate, loosely covered with foil, to rest for 10 minutes, then thinly slice.
- STEP 4
Tip the salad leaves into a bowl with a little seasoning, some of the hazelnuts and the pear slices. Add enough of the dressing to coat the leaves well and toss.
- STEP 5
To serve, plate alternate layers of venison, salad leaves and pear, then finish with more of the hazelnuts.
