Fillet of venison with thyme roasted potatoes, cinnamon spiced red cabbage and bitter chocolate sauce

Ingredients (for 4 people)

10 oz carrots
10 oz celeriac
8 oz smoked bacon
2 oz butter
4 x 5 oz fillet of venison loin steaks
1 tbspn olive oil/ salt and pepper
1 medium head red cabbage
1 tbspn redcurrant jelly
2 tbspn demerara sugar
1 orange cut into 6 (pips removed)
2 oz butter
Cinnamon to taste
1lb peeled potatoes cut in 1 inch squares

For the sauce

3 pints veal stock/beef stock
1lb shallots coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic unpeeled and crushed
1 oz butter
1 bay leaf/ 2 sprigs thyme
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
2 teaspoons raspberry vinegar
1 x 75cl bottle red wine
2 oz dark bitter chocolate drops

1. First make the sauce, fry shallots & garlic in 1oz butter with thyme, bay leaf & peppercorns until caramelised and soft.

2. Add the raspberry vinegar, red wine and boil until reduced to ½ cup syrup consistency

3. Add veal stock and reduce again to 2 ½ cups, pour through sieve over bowl rubbing gently with back of spoon, return to pan and stir in chocolate until it melts (reheat gently if chocolate needs extra melting) taste for salt and pepper.

4. Place the peeled diced potatoes in a very hot pan with a tbspn of olive oil and 3 sprigs of thyme, brown all over and place in a preheated oven for 20 mins until cooked, they should be crispy but not overcooked.

5. Finely shred red cabbage, place in pan with all other ingredients and leave to cook on a low light for 30-40 mins till the liquid has all but reduced and the cabbage still has a bite to it, check for seasoning. Remove any excess liquid from cabbage and keep warm.

6. In another pan fry carrots, celeriac and bacon in butter until golden brown, drain the butter and leave to one side.

7. Preheat oven to gas mark 7, season venison, heat oil in pan and brown all over about 3-4 mins, cover with greaseproof and roast for 4-5 mins depending how you like your venison. 4 minutes will be nice and pink, any more and it starts to become more well done. Once cooked leave to rest.

8. Reheat the bacon and carrot mixture, the potatoes and the sauce, do not let the sauce boil or it will separate. Spoon the red cabbage into the centre of the plate, slice the venison and arrange on top. Arrange the carrot mix and the potatoes liberally on plate and coat the meat and vegetables with the sauce and serve.