EASY DINNER PARTY MAINS
Coffee-marinated roast venison saddle
Ingredients
- 750g venison haunch
- 2 carrots, cut into 3cm chunks
- 6 shallots, whole if small or halved if large
- 1 orange, halved
- 5 thyme sprigs
- 2 tbsp goose or duck fat
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 500ml venison or beef stock
For the marinade
- 60g used coffee grounds
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Useful to have
- Thermometer
Method
- Mix all the marinade ingredients in a bowl or container large enough to fit the venison in. Season the venison liberally with salt and pepper, then coat in the marinade and set aside for 1 hour at room temperature or for longer in the fridge (up to 24 hours).
- Heat the oven to 210°C fan/gas 8. Put the carrots, onions, orange and thyme in a high-sided roasting tin. Remove the venison from the marinade, brushing off the excess and sit it on top of the veg. Dot over the goose or duck fat. Roast for 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 170°C fan/gas 5. Roast for 15 20 minutes more, or until the core temperature reaches 56°C on a probe thermometer for medium-rare.
- Lift the venison onto a plate, cover with foil and leave to rest for 20 minutes. Set the orange halves aside, then put the roasting tin over a medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring, for a few minutes. Pour in the stock a little at a time to make a gravy. Bubble until thickened and glossy (about 10 minutes), then squeeze in the orange juice and season. Strain the gravy, reserving the veg. Serve the venison with the veg and gravy alongside your potato dish of choice.
Peppercorn mushrooms with butter bean mash
Ingredients
- 10g dried porcini mushrooms
- 600g jar butter beans (or similar white beans)
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 150g oyster mushrooms
- 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
- ½ tbsp green peppercorns, drained and crushed
- 100ml dry white wine (check it’s vegan)
- 4 tbsp oat fraiche (we used Oatly)
- Wilted spinach or seasonal greens to serve
Method
- Put the porcini in a small bowl and cover with 150ml just-boiled water, then set aside to soak. They only need about 15 minutes but if you have time then a longer bath (up to 24 hours) will produce an even deeper flavour.
- Drain half the liquid from the butterbeans then put the remaining liquid and beans themselves in a saucepan with the garlic. Put over a medium heat to warm through, stirring regularly. Once hot, use a stick blender to whizz until very smooth. Season well then cover to keep warm.
- Put a heavy-bottomed frying pan over a high heat. Once it’s smoking hot add the oil, swirling to coat evenly. Add the mushrooms then sit another (clean) heavy pan on top and press down – the mushrooms should ferociously sizzle (it is quite loud!). Keep pressing for about 10 seconds, then remove the top pan and allow to cook for a few minutes, without stirring, until the liquid released from the mushrooms evaporates.
- Season the mushrooms with salt and half of the crushed peppercorns. Flip the mushrooms, then cover and press again. Leave the pan sitting on the mushrooms for a few minutes while they cook, then remove and season again, using the remaining peppercorns. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate and cover to keep warm.
- Return the pan to a medium-high heat and add the wine to deglaze. Once the wine has reduced by two thirds, add the porcini mushrooms and their soaking liquid to the pan. Bubble until thickened then stir in the oat fraiche and season with salt.
- Divide the butterbean mash between plates, then top with the mushrooms and wilted spinach. Spoon over the porcini sauce.
Roast duck breast with honey, sesame, orange and celeriac
Ingredients
- 2 duck breasts, at room temperature
- 2 tbsp runny honey
- Sesame seeds to sprinkle
- Rocket to serve
For the celeriac
- 1 celeriac
- 350ml orange juice
- 20g unsalted butter
- 1 thyme sprig
- 250-350ml whole milk
- 1 bay leaf
- Squeeze lemon juice
For the jus
- Finely grated zest and juice 1 large orange
- 1 tbsp orange marmalade
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 star anise
- Juice 1 lemon
Method
- Heat the oven to 210°C fan/gas 8. Use a sharp knife to finely score the skin on each duck breast diagonally in two directions to make a grid pattern (don’t cut through to the meat). Rub the honey into the skin on each breast, making sure it’s completely coated, then put on a baking tray.
- Peel the celeriac and halve. Cut one half into 2cm thick wedges. Lay them flat in a large frying pan in a single layer, then pour over the orange juice and add the butter and thyme. Chop the other half into small cubes. Put in a saucepan, pour in enough milk to just cover them (the size of your pan will dictate how much milk you need), add the bay leaf and a pinch of salt.
- Sprinkle the duck breasts liberally with sesame seeds and salt. Roast for 16-18 minutes, flipping the breasts every 4 minutes to ensure an even cook. Once the skin has crisped and the thickest parts of the breasts are hot to the touch, remove them from the oven and leave to rest for 15-20 minutes at room temperature. This is important so don’t skip it; the resting time ensures all the juices stay in the meat when you carve it.
- Once the duck is in the oven, put the celeriac wedges and the celeriac in milk both over a low-medium heat. Gently cook both for 20-25 minutes until tender, turning the wedges halfway through. You want the celeriac in milk to be completely soft, but the wedges to still have a little bite and be glazed in the reduced orange juice and butter.
- Make the jus by adding all the jus ingredients to a small saucepan with a pinch of salt. Gently simmer for 5 minutes until thickened and combined, then keep over a low heat (or reheat before serving).
- Once the celeriac in milk is soft, discard the bay leaf and strain the liquid through a fine sieve set over a bowl. Transfer the celeriac to a blender, then whizz, adding enough milk to create a smooth purée (you may not need all the milk). Season to taste with a pinch of salt and the lemon juice.
- To serve, make a bed of celeriac purée on each serving plate, then slice the duck and arrange on top. Arrange the wedges alongside, season with salt and pepper, then finish with the orange jus and a little rocket.
