Venison with black truffle slices

This is a hearty dish in which the intense aroma of the truffle combines perfectly with the taste of the venison to produce a real taste of autumn. I always marinate venison before I cook it because this reduces the gamey taste and infuses the meat with flavours.

If I am using fresh or preserved truffle slices, I prefer black rather than white because this can be overpowering. If I cannot find truffle slices, I add a couple of drops of truffle oil per portion instead. I never cook truffle, but always add it right before serving.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 500g saddle of venison, trimmed and cut into 2.5cm thick medallions
• 5 tbsps. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsps. balsamic vinegar
• ½ litre red wine
• 1 carrot, roughly chopped
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 3-4 Juniper berries
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and ground black pepper
• 1 clove garlic finely chopped or crushed
• ½ litre of vegetable stock
• Black truffle slices or truffle oil

Method

• To marinate the venison, the day before cooking, place it in a large bowl with the juniper berries, carrots and onion. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and cover it with one tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil, the wine (save a glass for cooking) and the balsamic vinegar. Cover the bowl with cling film and place into the fridge for the night.
• To cook the venison, remove it from the marinade and pat it dry. In a frying pan, heat up the remaining extra-virgin olive oil with the garlic for a couple of minutes, then lay the venison pieces on it. Cook until the meat is brown on all sides, then add a glass of red wine and the bay leaf. Let it cook until the wine evaporates and start adding the stock one ladleful at a time. Keep cooking and adding stock until the meat is tender and the sauce is reduced to your liking.
• Serve and top with some of the cooking sauce and a couple of truffle slices for each portion.