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Haunch of venison, sweet potato fondant, roasted winter roots, pear and sauce grand-veneur

This week, innovative head chef Wesley Watts of The Postbox Restaurant in Perth, cooked us up a delicious venison dish using seasonal winter root veg. The Postbox is the landmark building we all know at the top end of George St, and is aptly named due to home in Perth’s original post office building which was opened in 1861.

The restaurant was a bustle of activity when I arrived mid morning, busy with staff getting ready for the lunch time service and suppliers dropping into the kitchen with boxes of locally produced seasonal produce. Wesley is a huge fan of Perthshire food and uses local wherever possible to create his delicious dishes. The menu reflects this, changing with the seasons and using the freshest ingredients to offer up daily specials.

While I was there I heard from the team about The Cellar Bar downstairs where there is regular live music.  You'll find all of their great acts listed in our Events Section - do check back for regular updates.

Gill X

Preparation Time:
30 minutes
Cooking Time:
30 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

  • 4 6oz venison haunch steaks
  • 200ml olive oil
  • Sprig of rosemary
  • 3 Sprig of thyme
  • Half a bulb of garlic
  • 4 medium carrots
  • 4 medium parsnips
  • 4 jerusalem artichokes
  • 2 pears
  • 2 large sweet potatoes
  • 300ml chicken stock
  • 120ml white wine
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • Sea salt
  • 320g unsalted butter
  • 450g parsnips
  • 1 small potato
  • 450ml milk
  • 500ml good red wine
  • 100ml port
  • 500ml beef stock
  • 100ml double cream
  • 10g 80% bitter chocolate
  • 1 tsp red currant jelly

    METHOD

    Winter roots

    1. Peel and cut into desired shapes, then blanched in salted water until tender then refresh in ice water

    Pears

    1. Peel, core and cut each pear into 6 equal pieces

    Sweet potato fondants

    1. Seal sweet potatoes in a medium to high frying pan until taken on a nice colour
    2. Heat the stock, wine, garlic and thyme in a sauce pan
    3. Place sweet potatoes into a deep roasting tray, pour in stock to just below the top of the potatoes then add the butter and thyme
    4. Cook in a pre heated oven at 180c for around 20-25 mins until tender 

    Parsnip puree

    1. Peel and chop the parsnips and potato and put into a saucepan, cover with milk and 150ml water and add a large pinch of salt. Cook until very soft
    2. Drain in a colander, then press to remove excess moisture. Blitz in a food processor, pass through a fine sieve then beat in the butter

    Sauce grand-veneur

    1. Pour red wine and port into a sauce pan and boil to reduce by one third
    2. Add stock, cream and red currant jelly and reduce it to a good consistency, should lightly coat a wooden spoon
    3. Finish by melting in the chocolate and season to taste

    To cook

    1. Pre heat oven to 180c
    2. Put sweet potato fondant into oven to reheat
    3. Meanwhile have 2 large frying pans up to temperature to a medium high heat
    4. Seal venison steaks on all sides in one pan whilst in the other pan saute off the root vegetables and pears
    5. Put both the venison and vegetables in the oven and roast for around 5-6 mins
    6. Remove venison, roasted vegetables and fondants from the oven. Cover vegetables with tin foil and leave in a warm place while the venison rests for 4 minutes
    7. While the venison is resting reheat the parsnip puree and sauce

    To plate

    1. Place a table spoon of the parsnip puree onto each of the for plates and drag over with a palate knife
    2. Put the sweet potato fondant at the top of the puree
    3. Arrange the roast vegetables attractively around the plate
    4. Carve venison in two and place at either end of the plate
    5. Pour sauce into 4 serving jugs
    6. Serve and enjoy

    NICKI'S TUPPENCEWORTH

    When Gill rang me up and asked if we should do another venison dish so soon after Tim's we both agreed it was a resounding yes. Perthshire venison is just so, so tasty and having our local chefs offer up their ideas on how to best cook it is a real treat. 

    Wesley is one of those guys is experimental with his menu and he always impresses with his carefully plated specials. Gill and I follow him on twitter just for the food porn! 

    I really like that he used good old root veg for this; I think the carrots and parsnips can get a bit of a raw deal amongst us Scots come January. We're longing for a bit of purple sprouting broccoli! But you know, these trusty, hardy veggies are Food Of The Gods when you treat them well and with locally sourced venison you can create a dinner party showstopper of a dish!

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    N X