Fallow Deer, Red Pepper Ketchup, Fennel and Dried Olives

Ingredients

For the Deer:
• 1 deer loin, taken from the saddle (about 300g)
• 100g egg white
• 10g black pearl curry powder
• 200g panko japanese breadcrumbs
For the dried olives:
• 50g black olives, chopped
• 10g molasses sugar
For the red pepper ketchup:
• red pepper
• 300g shallot
• 400g apple
• 2kg apple juice
• 500g cabernet sauvignon vinegar
• 1 chilli
• 1 star anise
• 4 cloves
• 200g sugar
• 5g salt
• 120g pineapple juice
For the fennel salad:
• 1 trimmed medium fennel bulb
• Maldon sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Lemon vinegar
• 1 lemon

Method

For the dried olives: Put the olives on a small roasting tray. Sprinkle with the sugar and place in a very low oven (80C/gas ¼) for a couple of hours or until dried.

For the fennel salad: Finely slice the fennel on the diagonal using a mandolin. Season with the salt, pepper, olive oil, lemon vinegar & lemon zest to taste in a small bowl.

Blitz the black pearl curry powder with the breadcrumbs.

Season the deer with a little sea salt. Roll in the egg white & then in the black pearl crumb. Heat a little olive oil & some butter in a pan. Place the deer in the pan & cook for a minute on each side for 5-6 mins approx. until medium rare. Allow to rest for as long as you have cooked it.

For the red pepper ketchup: Combine all ingredients & simmer until everything is very tender, for about 1 hour. Blend until smooth. Pass through a fine sieve, adjust seasoning to taste.

To serve, slice the deer in half & arrange on the plate with dots of the red pepper ketchup. Sprinkle the black olive over the meat. Spoon the sauce over the meat and serve with the fennel salad on the side.

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