Hermann's Menu

Noisettes of roast loin of venison

serves 60

Ingredients

12kg venison saddles
2 bottles vintage port
2 tbsp juniper berries
mirepoix (a coarse dice of carrots, approx one kilo; onion, approx 750 grams; and celery, approx 500 grams)
5ltr brown veal stock.
Bone venison and trim off all sinews and fat. Crush juniper berries lightly and marinate venison in a bottle of port with juniper for 24 hours.
120 evenly sized Bogles’ little red apples
1kg red currants
1kg black currants
syrup for poaching apples
4 cinammon sticks
1 tbsp peppercorns
1 tbsp allspice
peel and juice from 2 lemons
500g sugar
2ltr apple juice

Method

Roast the chopped bones with the mirepoix and add bouquet garni (aromatic herbs tied together into a little faggot).

Deglaze using half of the port wine marinade, add jus and cook for approx 8 hours, then strain and reduce slowly.

Take a baking dish with a little oil and butter and brown the venison saddle then roast for 20 minutes approx in a hot oven.

Allow to rest.

Poach the apples in the syrup gently and allow to cool in the syrup.

Cut a lid from the stem side of the apple and remove the core of the apple using a parisian spoon.

Drain the frozen currants and make a reduction of the juice adding part of the syrup used to poach the apples.

Macerate the currants in the hot syrup.

Fill the cored apples with macerated currants.

Carve the venison (which should still be pink inside) into thick slices, place on large hot plates, pour over some of the reduced sauce and place the stuffed apples on the side.