Cooking time: 40-45 mins
Serves: 4 people

Ingredients:
800 grams trimmed venison loin
20 grams black peppercorns, crushed
20 grams juniper berries, crushed
Seasoning
1 kilo baking potatoes
100 grams sliced onion
5 grams chopped thyme
2 litres chicken stock
120 grams finely chopped Savoy cabbage
5 grams chopped thyme
15 grams diced butter

METHOD
1: Trim the venison loin by removing any of the sinew from the loin and cut into 4 x 200 gram portions, place in the fridge until ready for use.

2: Blend the juniper berries and the peppercorns together to form a dry powder, leave to one side until ready to use.

3: Peel the potatoes and finely slice on a mandolin wafer thin. Mix with the finely sliced onion and fresh chopped thyme. Place a layer in a deep sided dish then season, continue to do so until it fills the dish. Cover with the chicken stock, cover in greaseproof paper then tin foil. Cook in the oven at 180ºc for 40 to 45 minutes. Remove and check that the potatoes are soft, allow to cool. When the potatoes are cool cut them out into 4 rings.

4: Finely slice the Savoy cabbage. Place in boiling water for 30 seconds; take straight out and into iced water to cool. Drain and leave to one side.

5: Season the venison with salt and then roll in the peppercorn and juniper crust. Heat up a little olive oil and fry the venison loin for about 5 minutes, remove from the pan and leave to rest. Step 6: Place the hot pot potato on a tray, brush with a little melted butter and heat through the oven.

7: For the cabbage, melt the butter and add the thyme, put in the cabbage and toss together, season.

8: Remove the potato from the oven and place on the plate, arrange the cabbage on the plate, slice the venison loin and plate. Finish with a red wine sauce and fried thyme.

Malmaison, William Jessop Way, Princes Dock, Liverpool L3 1QZ
Tel: 0151 229 5000

First published in Liverpool Issue 5 (Autumn/Winter 07/08)