Peppered Venison Fillet with Winter Vegetables and a Cream Sauce

Peel/scrape the vegetables, cut the turnips and beets into slices, the carrots in halves or quarter depending on one size, and cut the jerusalem artichokes thick matchsticks. Put the vegetables in the colinder, pour over a couple of tablespoonfuls of olive oil, season with salt and pepper and mix the vegetables with your hands.

Coarsley grind a couple of tablespoonfuls of black peppercorns using a pestle and mortar. Cut the fillet into steaks about 2 cm/¾ inch thick  Picture  . Sparingly season the steaks on both sides with salt and the coarse black pepper and allow to absorb.

Put the beetroot slices and any other vegetable needing longer cooking into an ovenproof dish and cook for about 15 minutes in the oven at 400°F/200°C/Reg6. Then stir in the remaining vegetables and garlic cloves if used, and cook for further 25 to 30 minutes until just cooked  Picture  .

Meanwhile put a thick bottomed frying pan over a high heat and add a bare tablespoonful of olive oil. When hot turn the heat down to medium, cook the venison steaks for two minutes on each side and then keep warm. Heat the brandy up in a ladle, put the venison pan back over a medium heat and flame the frying pan.

Add the double cream to the pan and bring to a simmer. Season the sauce with some of the ground black peppercorns and salt. Keep the sauce simmering to thicken it a little.

Meanwhile put the roasted vegetables on to serving plates  Picture  . Lay on top a couple of venison steaks, spoon over a little cream sauce, and serve  Zoom  .