Venison wellington

Method

1. Begin with the sauce, as it can be made in advance and simmer away while you get on with other things. Pour the madeira into one small saucepan and the beef stock into another. Put both over a medium heat and simmer, uncovered, until the stock has reduced by about two-thirds and the madeira is almost a syrup (make sure it doesn’t burn). This should take about 25 minutes. When they’re ready, mix them together, then remove from the heat.
2. Meanwhile, make the mousseline. Put the chicken in the bowl of a food processor, then put the bowl in the fridge for 20 minutes to get it nice and cold. While you wait, heat the butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat and add the mushrooms. Fry for 5 minutes until beginning to colour, then drain on kitchen paper. Once cool enough to handle, squeeze the mushrooms in the paper to remove as much liquid as possible, then finely chop. Reserve in the fridge until needed.
3. Once chilled, whizz the chicken for 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until a smooth purée forms. With the motor still running, gradually pour in half the cream, then season with a pinch of salt and cayenne pepper. Add the remaining cream, whizz briefly to just combine, then transfer to a bowl, stir in the chopped mushrooms and keep in the fridge until ready to use.
4. To make the pancakes, whisk together the flour, egg and a pinch of salt. Gradually pour in the milk, whisking constantly, then stir through the herbs. Put a wide nonstick frying pan over a medium heat and add a drizzle of oil. Add enough of the pancake batter to coat the base of the pan in a thin layer, cooking for 1-2 minutes on each side until set. You should be able to get 4-6 pancakes in total – don’t worry about how neat they are as they won’t be on show. Keep in the fridge until needed.
5. In the same frying pan, seal the venison. Season the loin all over with salt and add another knob of butter to the pan, putting it over a high heat. Cook the loin for a few minutes, turning it regularly, until browned all over. Remove and set aside.
6. Cover a work surface with a large sheet of baking paper. Arrange the pancakes on it, overlapping them slightly, to create a large rectangle that is 5cm longer than the length of the venison loin. Spread the chicken mousseline onto them, then put the fillet in the centre. Using the paper to help you, roll the pancakes up around the fillet to create a large sausage-shaped parcel. Wrap tightly in the paper, securing it with string if needed, then put the parcel in the fridge to chill while you prepare the pastry.
7. Dust your work surface with plain flour and start rolling out the pastry until it’s 3-4mm thick. Leave it there to rest for 10 minutes to allow for shrinkage, then cut out a rectangle measuring 50cm x 30cm – any leftover pastry can be used to decorate the wellington. Brush the pastry with some of the beaten egg yolks, then carefully unwrap the pancake-wrapped venison. Put the parcel in the middle of the pastry. Wrap the pastry tightly around it, creating a complete seal, then trim off any excess to make it as neat as you can. Decorate with the leftover pastry however you like, then brush with more egg wash and leave, uncovered, in the fridge for 1 hour before egg washing again.
8. Heat the oven to 200°C fan/gas 7. Bake the wellington for 25 minutes or until the core temperature reaches 30°C for medium-rare; a little longer if you like it medium. Leave to rest for at least 20 minutes. Meanwhile, gently reheat the sauce and, just before serving, whisk in the diced butter to thicken it up and give it a beautiful gloss.