In this article for My Countryside magazine, the Game Chef presents some simple and delicious summer recipes with venison as the star.

I first became aware of The Country Food Trust almost 10 years ago, when I met Tim Woodward, then CEO, at a one-off game exhibition at Borough Market. Whilst I was busy flogging my pheasant goujons, Tim mentioned that he planned to feed one million people in need with game meals in the next five years – and to be honest I thought he was flogging a dead horse – but how wrong I was. The Trust achieved that a year ahead of target and has now far exceeded this number. Although Tim is no longer involved, it goes from strength to strength with each year. You can read more about how The Country Food Trust has had a huge impact on tackling food poverty in the UK on page 45. This is only part of the story though as The Country Food Trust has also helped bring venison into the spotlight in another way: the Trust’s Wild Venison Project promotes venison to the restaurant world, particularly prime cuts.

But venison is not only about steaks, loins and fillets. Other cuts, such as haunch, offal and mince can make a wonderfully delicious and nutritious supper. Haunch of venison can be cut into several smaller muscle groups, meaning great steaks or diced meat for some delicious kebabs such as the ones on page 70. I often find venison liver is a surprisingly mild and delicate flavour; treat it just as you would calves liver and you won’t go far wrong – it is excellent served with bacon.

At home, I use venison mince for any dish calling for beef mince and I would encourage you to do the same. Not only is this mince cheap, but with every dish you eat you will be doing the countryside a very large favour.

VENISON POLPETTE, FRESH TOMATO AND BASIL SAUCE

This classic Venetian cicchetti, normally made with pork, is a real old favourite of mine. You can serve it just as it is, with drinks and a few cocktail sticks as they would in Venice, or for a main course, with some butter-rich polenta.

Serves 4

• 800g venison mince
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 egg
• 3 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs
• ½ onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed to a paste
• 50g parmesan cheese, finely grated
• Good pinch of salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

For the tomato sauce:

• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 200g fresh tomatoes, roughly chopped
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• Pinch of dried chilli flakes
• ½ tsp fennel seeds
• ½ tsp of dried oregano
• 1 large handful fresh basil

1. Mix all the ingredients for the polpette together well.
2. Form the mixture into a slightly large golf ball size and fry off on a medium heat in one tablespoon of olive oil until lightly browned on all sides
3. Remove from the pan and set aside.
4. Add the remaining olive oil to the pan, followed by the garlic, chilli flakes and fennel seeds, frying gently for one minute.
5. Add the tomatoes, salt, sugar, oregano and red wine vinegar and cook gently for 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have wilted and begun to form a rough sauce.
6. Add the polpette back to the pan, covering loosely with a piece of tin foil, and simmer gently for a further 10 minutes until cooked through. You can add a splash of water if the sauce becomes too dry during this process.
7. Just before serving, roughly tear the basil and stir through the sauce. 8. Serve three or four polpette per person, coated in the sauce, finishing with a little more olive oil and grated parmesan.
   
   

CHOPPED VENISON LIVER WITH GARLIC, SAGE AND LEMON

This is a coarse, heavy pate, as one might find in central Italy. It is heady with aromatics and meant to be a good palette enlivener to start a meal. Serve with your aperitivo, on small toasts baked until crisp in plenty of olive oil.

Serves 4

• 50ml extra virgin olive oil
• 50g butter
• 300g venison liver, chopped into chicken liver sized pieces
• 4 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
• 2 lemons, zest removed and set aside
• 20 sage leaves, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp finely chopped rosemary
• 50ml white vermouth
• 50ml double cream
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp salt

1. Heat the oil and butter on a medium heat in a large frying pan, then add the livers.
2. Fry for a minute on the one side, then turn over.
3. Immediately add the garlic, lemon zest, sage and rosemary and turn the heat to medium-high.
4. Fry for another two minutes, then give the whole lot a good stir, turning the livers with the aromatics.
5. Tip out the contents of the pan onto a large bowl and put the pan back on the heat.
6. Add the vermouth and deglaze the pan, then add the cream and keep on the heat until it begins to simmer, then pour this over the livers.
7. Remove the livers from the bowl, leaving the liquid behind, and place on a large board, then chop well, laterally and vertically, until the mixture begins to come together in a very rough and lumpy paste.
8. Place this back into the bowl with the liquid and beat well.
9. Add the juice from the two lemons, the salt and pepper and check the seasoning – it should be quite punchy but may need a little more salt.
10. Place in the fridge to firm up for an hour, then give it another good stir to amalgamate further.
11. Serve the pate on small toasts as a perfect start to a classic Italian-style supper.

SPICED VENISON KEBABS WITH PICKLED LEMON SALSA

With a good long marinade and a char over the hot coals, these kebabs are wonderful hot weather food, the pickled lemon bringing a distinctly southern European air to the salsa.

Serves 4

For the kebab:

• 800g venison haunch meat, cut into inch dice
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• 2 tbsp dried oregano
• Zest and juice of 1 whole lemon
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

For the salsa:

• 1 whole pickled lemon, finely chopped
• 1 handful each of fresh coriander, mint and dill, all finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 medium red chilli, finely chopped
• Zest and juice of 1 whole lemon
• 100ml extra virgin olive oil

To serve:

• 1 handful fresh coriander
• 4 tbsp plain Greek yoghurt

1. To make the kebabs, thread the meat onto 12 BBQ skewers. Mix all the other ingredients, and spread over the meat, leaving to marinate for 30 mins minimum, but ideally overnight or up to 24 hours.
2. To make the salsa, mix all of the ingredients together, and set aside. Cook the kebabs over a high heat on the BBQ, allowing them to crisp and char a little, cooking for 2-3 minutes each side.
3. Once cooked, place in a roasting tray and, using a pastry brush, paint with around 1/3 of the salsa.
4. To serve, place a little yoghurt on the plate, add the kebabs and a little more salsa. Serve with a green salad and some small potatoes fried in olive oil.