Roast saddle of venison
with poached kumquats
Lightly spiced, poached kumquats add an exotic twist
to roast venison. We like to roast the saddle on the bone
for extra flavour. Ask your butcher to remove the rib bones
but leave on the central backbone to keep the two loins
together. As venison is a lean meat, it helps to tie a thin
layer of fat on top of the saddle to protect and baste the
meat as it roasts.Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6. Rub all over the venison with salt
and pepper, then place in a lightly oiled roasting tin. Drizzle over a
little olive oil and sprinkle with a little more salt and pepper. Roast for
about 50-60 minutes until golden brown all over, and the meat is
medium rare and pink in the middle. To check if the venison is ready,
insert askew .,to the thickest part of the roast and press lightly-
the juices shoul rave a pinkish tinge.Prepare the kumquats when you've put the venison into the oven. Put
the sugar, water, thyme, star anise and peppercorns into a small
saucepan and heat gently, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then simmer
for about 10 minutes to reduce the syrup and thicken it slightly. In the
meantime, halve the kumquats and remove the pips with the tip of a
knife. Add the kumquats to the syrup, bring back to a simmer and
poach for 20-30 minutes until soft and the syrup has thickened.
Remove from the heat and leave to cool completely.
When the venison is ready, cover loosely with foil and leave to rest in
a warm place for about 20 minutes. Carve the saddle into thick slices,
following along the curve of the central bone. Sprinkle the slices with
a little salt and pepper and serve them on a warm platter with the
poached kumquats. Braised chicory and roasted or mashed parsnips
are lovely accompaniments.
SERVES 8
2.7kg saddle of venison
with bone
sea salt and black pepper
olive oil, to drizzlePOACHED KUMQUATS
125g caster sugar
200ml water
few thyme sprigs
2 star anise
5-6 black peppercorns,
lightly crushed
300g kumquats
2 tbsp apricot jamWEEKEND ROASTS 207