Venison with Walnut Crust

Ingredients

• 100 g walnuts
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 50 g dried black olives (pitted)
• 2 Tbsp softened butter
• 1 tbsp chopped rosemary
• 300 g celeriac
• 4 pears
• 100 g whipping cream
• Salt
• 300 ml red wine
• 1 tsp gingerbread spice
• 600 g venison steak (deboned)
• 2 tbsp butter

Instructions

1. 1.

   Caramelize the walnuts with 1 tbsp sugar in a pan, let cool and finely chop with a knife. Chop the olives as well. Knead the softened butter with the walnut crunch, olives, and rosemary. Roll out between two sheets of parchment paper to ½ cm thickness and refrigerate. Peel and dice the celeriac into small cubes. Steam covered for 20 minutes in a pot with a steamer basket.

2. 2.

   Peel, quarter, and core the pears. Slice into wedges and cook with the celeriac in the steamer basket for 4 minutes. Blend half of the pears with the celeriac and cream to a puree. Season with salt.

3. 3.

   Reduce the wine, remaining sugar, and gingerbread spice into a syrupy consistency. Sear the venison in butter in a pan, brush with the syrup, wrap in cling film and foil, seal tightly. Poach in hot, non‑boiling water for 12–14 minutes. Unwrap the venison. Cut the walnut butter into pieces and spread over the venison. Broil under the oven grill until golden. Divide the venison into eight equal portions and serve on plates with celeriac puree. Garnish with remaining pear wedges and a sprig of rosemary.