Roast Rack of Venison with Silky Celeriac Purée and Blackcurrant Jus

⏱ 75 min · Serves 4

A proper restaurant plate for home: a rose-pink rack of venison with a burnished crust, resting on cloud-soft celeriac purée, with a glossy blackcurrant jus that hits that perfect sweet-sharp note against the game. Bold, elegant, and surprisingly calm to cook if you get your jus going first.

Per serving: 720 kcal · 48.0g protein · 26.0g carbs · 45.0g fat

Ingredients

• 1 rack of venison (8 bones, approx. 800g), French-trimmed, at room temperature
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 30g butter
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 2 garlic cloves, bruised
• Flaky sea salt and coarsely cracked black pepper
• 1 large celeriac (approx. 800g), peeled and diced
• 300ml whole milk
• 100ml double cream
• 50g unsalted butter, diced
• Pinch of ground white pepper
• 2 shallots, finely sliced
• 1 tsp vegetable oil (for the jus)
• 150ml full-bodied red wine
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 400ml good beef or veal stock
• 150g blackcurrants (fresh or frozen)
• 1 tbsp redcurrant jelly
• 1 tsp cold butter, to finish the jus
• 200g tenderstem broccoli or Savoy cabbage, to serve

Method

1. Start the jus. Sweat the shallots in 1 tsp oil over a low heat for 5 minutes until soft but not coloured. Add the red wine and vinegar, bring to the boil and reduce by three quarters.
2. Add the stock, 100g of the blackcurrants and the redcurrant jelly. Simmer gently for 25–30 minutes until reduced to about 200ml and lightly syrupy. Strain through a fine sieve, pressing the fruit to extract everything, then set aside.
3. Meanwhile, make the purée. Put the celeriac in a pan with the milk, cream and a good pinch of salt. Simmer gently, lid ajar, for 20–25 minutes until completely tender.
4. Drain the celeriac, reserving the liquid. Blitz in a blender with the 50g diced butter and a splash of the cooking liquid, adding more until glossy and silky. Season with salt and white pepper, then keep warm.
5. Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan. Pat the venison dry and season the fat side generously with salt and pepper.
6. Heat the 2 tbsp oil in a heavy ovenproof pan until shimmering. Sear the rack fat-side down for 3 minutes until deeply browned, then sear all remaining sides. Add the butter, thyme, rosemary and garlic and baste for 1 minute.
7. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for 12–15 minutes for blushing pink (a probe should read 52–54°C at the thickest point). Lift onto a warm board, cover loosely with foil and rest for 10 minutes — non-negotiable.
8. Steam or boil the greens for 3–4 minutes. Reheat the jus, add the remaining 50g blackcurrants and warm through for 1 minute, then whisk in the cold butter off the heat for shine. Taste and add a splash more vinegar if it needs lift.
9. Carve the rack between the bones into 8 cutlets. Sweep the purée across warm plates, add the greens, lean two cutlets against the purée and spoon the jus over and around. Finish with flaky salt.