A beautiful steak (pave) of venison cut from the large fillet, challenges the best beef fillet steak in both flavour and texture.  It is best cooked rare or medium rare, overcooked grey venison is a crime against nature!  For speed, you could always buy read-made béarnaise sauce.

For the béarnaise sauce:
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
6 black peppercorns
1 fresh bay leaf
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 sprig of fresh tarragon
1 sprig of fresh chervil
2 egg yolks

Salt and freshly ground black pepper
125g/4oz unsalted butter softened
1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
1 teaspoon chopped fresh chervil 

450g (1lb) Kerr’s Pink or Maris Piper potatoes
Sunflower oil for deep frying
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Two thick paves of venison
2 tablespoons of sunflower oil
25g (1 oz) unsalted butter

To make the béarnaise sauce
Put the vinegar, peppercorns, bay leaf, shallot, tarragon and chervil into a small saucepan and reduce over a medium heat to 1 tablespoon.  Remove from the heat to stop further evaporation. 

In a small heatproof bowl, beat the yolks with a pinch of salt and teaspoon of butter.  Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.  Beat the mixture with a wooden spoon until slightly thickened.  Strain the reduction into the bowl.  Beat again until thickened.  Beat in the remaining butter piece by piece, increasing the temperature as the sauce thickens and add more butter, taking care that the water does not touch the base of the bowl.  When all the butter is added, stir in the tarragon, chervil and any juices from the meat pan.  Keep warm over a pan of warm water until ready to serve.   This is best used quite quickly.

Heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer to 180ºC.  Whilst the oil is heating, cut the potatoes into long thick wedges (chips).  Add these to the hot oil and deep fry them for 12-15 minutes until they are a lovely golden colour.  Lift the basket out and shake off any excess oil.  Tip the chips into a dish lined with several sheets of kitchen paper and dab dry.  Keep warm in the oven with the door slightly ajar. 

Place a large heavy frying pan on a high heat.  Season the steaks well with salt and ground black pepper.  Add the sunflower oil to the hot pan.  When it starts to smoke add the steaks, then add the butter and allow it to foam.  It’s important to leave the steaks at this stage, resist the temptation to move them around.  After 2-3 minutes spots of blood will start to appear on the top which shows they are ready to turn.   Cook again for another 2-3 minutes.  Remove the steaks and place on a metal tray in a warm place to rest for 2-3 minutes.   This will redistribute the juices into the meat, giving them an even colour. 

Remove the chips from the oven and tip on to warm serving plates to serve with the steak, béarnaise sauce and a mixed salad and serve.

This recipe is courtesy of Donington Deer Management.  For more delicious recipes go to www.donningtondeermanagement.co.uk