Preparation time
less than 30 mins
Cooking time
1 to 2 hours
Serves
Serves 6
Ingredients
For the stuffing
- knob of butter
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 banana shallot, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 eating apple, peeled and roughly chopped
- 75g/2½oz diced peaches
- 50g/1¾oz sultanas
- 3 balls stem ginger in syrup, drained and roughly chopped
- 75g/2½oz fresh white breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 3 tbsp finely chopped flatleaf parsley
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
- 1 heaped tsp flaked sea salt, plus extra to season
- 1 tbsp stem ginger syrup (from the jar)
- freshly ground black pepper
For the venison
- 2 x 500g/1lb 2oz venison loin fillets, trimmed
- 16 rashers rindless smoked streaky bacon, thinly sliced
- sunflower oil, for greasing
Method
-
To make the stuffing, melt the butter and oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Gently fry the shallot and garlic for five minutes, stirring regularly until softened, but not coloured.
-
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the apple, peaches, sultanas, stem ginger, breadcrumbs, ground ginger, herbs, lemon zest and juice. Season with salt and plenty pepper and mix well. Add the stem ginger syrup and mix again until the stuffing comes together. Allow to cool.
-
Place one of the fillets between two sheets of cling film and bash with a rolling pin until around 1cm/½in thick. Set aside and repeat with the other.
-
Place a large sheet of cling film on a board and lay the bacon in slightly overlapping lengths on top; making a rectangle roughly 32x28cm/13x11in. If some of the rashers are a little short, stretch with the back of a knife.
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Place one of the fillets in the centre of the bacon and spread with the stuffing. Cover with the other fillet to sandwich the stuffing. Bring the bacon up over the top of the venison to enclose it completely, using the cling film to help you. Wrap tightly in more cling film and chill in the fridge overnight or at least 1 hour.
-
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Unwrap the venison and place on a lightly greased baking tray, with the ends of the bacon underneath. Roast for 30 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp and the venison is just cooked.
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Remove from the oven and transfer to a board or warmed serving platter. Cover with foil and leave to rest.
-
Carve the venison into slices and divide between six warmed dinner plates. Spoon a little of the resting juices over the venison.
