Venison Steaks with Honeyed Root Veg, Spiced Chickpeas & Sheep’s Cheese
As the chill of winter lingers, you can find yourself craving hearty meals that are both satisfying and nourishing. This recipe for venison steaks with honeyed root veg, spiced chickpeas & sheep’s cheese is the perfect answer to that craving. The tender, succulent venison steaks are complemented by a medley of sweet and earthy root vegetables, all drizzled with a touch of honey. This is a meal that celebrates the best of seasonal produce and spices and is sure to warm you from the inside out.
Ingredients
ROASTED VEG
500g carrots, sliced in half, lengthways
2 medium red onions, cut into wedges
3 garlic cloves, bashed
2 tbsp runny honey
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp chilli flakes
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp sunflower seeds
125g chickpeas, cooked and drained
2 wild venison steaks
A drizzle of rapeseed oil
A small knob of butter
150g sheep’s cheese (we used Wootton White)
100g chervil, chopped
100g flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Pinch of sea salt
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. Preheat the BBQ or wood-fired oven to 200°C/400°F.
2. To a medium-sized roasting tray add the carrots, red onion wedges and bashed garlic. Drizzle over a generous glug of rapeseed oil and liberally season the veg with salt and pepper. Drizzle over a tablespoon of honey and then shake the tray to ensure everything is coated in sweet honey, seasoning and oil. Place the roasting tray into the BBQ or oven and roast for 25 minutes.
3. To make the spiced chickpeas, in a pestle and mortar grind the spices together. Pour the spice mix into a mixing bowl. Add the chickpeas and seeds to the bowl along with a drizzle of oil and a good pinch of salt. Coat the chickpeas and nuts in the spice mix and set aside.
4. Remove the roasted veg from the BBQ or oven and give everything a good shake. Add the spiced chickpeas and nuts to the roasting pan. Drizzle a little more oil and a further tablespoon of honey over the ingredients in the roasting tray, then place it back into the BBQ and roast for a further 15–20 minutes, until the veg is beautifully tender and caramelised.
5. Season the venison steaks with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Take a cast iron pan and place it over the direct heat. Add a drizzle of oil to the pan. Lay the steaks into the hot pan and cook for 2–3 minutes on each side. For the last minute of cooking, add in a small knob of butter and toss the foaming butter around the pan, coating the steak. Remove from the pan and set aside to rest for 5–10 minutes.
6. Decant the roasted veg, chickpeas and seeds onto a large platter. Scatter over the chopped chervil and parsley. Break apart the sheep’s cheese and scatter chunks throughout the warm veg. Slice the rested venison steaks, then lay them over the top of the veg, pouring over any juices from the pan. Finally, drizzle the dish with a little more oil, then serve straight away.
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Method
1. Preheat the BBQ or wood-fired oven to 200°C/400°F.
2. To a medium-sized roasting tray add the carrots, red onion wedges and bashed garlic. Drizzle over a generous glug of rapeseed oil and liberally season the veg with salt and pepper. Drizzle over a tablespoon of honey and then shake the tray to ensure everything is coated in sweet honey, seasoning and oil. Place the roasting tray into the BBQ or oven and roast for 25 minutes.
3. To make the spiced chickpeas, in a pestle and mortar grind the spices together. Pour the spice mix into a mixing bowl. Add the chickpeas and seeds to the bowl along with a drizzle of oil and a good pinch of salt. Coat the chickpeas and nuts in the spice mix and set aside.
4. Remove the roasted veg from the BBQ or oven and give everything a good shake. Add the spiced chickpeas and nuts to the roasting pan. Drizzle a little more oil and a further tablespoon of honey over the ingredients in the roasting tray, then place it back into the BBQ and roast for a further 15–20 minutes, until the veg is beautifully tender and caramelised.
5. Season the venison steaks with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Take a cast iron pan and place it over the direct heat. Add a drizzle of oil to the pan. Lay the steaks into the hot pan and cook for 2–3 minutes on each side. For the last minute of cooking, add in a small knob of butter and toss the foaming butter around the pan, coating the steak. Remove from the pan and set aside to rest for 5–10 minutes.
6. Decant the roasted veg, chickpeas and seeds onto a large platter. Scatter over the chopped chervil and parsley. Break apart the sheep’s cheese and scatter chunks throughout the warm veg. Slice the rested venison steaks, then lay them over the top of the veg, pouring over any juices from the pan. Finally, drizzle the dish with a little more oil, then serve straight away.
