VENISON INVOLTINI WITH ROASTED FENNEL

THE METHOD Serves 2

1Cut the fennel in half lengthwise. Place the cut edges down on to a board and carefully cut lengthways wedges out of each half. Try to keep a little of the central stem attached to hold them together while cooking. Rinse, season and dress with a little oil.

2Take a seamed-out haunch steak and butterfly it. Use a sharp knife to slice nearly, but not all the way, through it at the narrowest edge. Leave the cut joined together at one edge and flatten out the meat a little with a rolling pin.

3Season the meat with chilli flakes, sea salt, thyme and basil leaves. Add a sprinkling of the smoked paprika and scatter over the onion and garlic, followed finally by around a dessertspoonful of the herby breadcrumbs. Now, roll up the venison and tie it securely.

4Heat a large frying pan — ideally one that will then go straight into the oven — over a moderate heat. Melt a knob of butter, then add the venison to one side of the pan and the fennel to the other. Keep moving the fennel and venison as they start to colour. Once the venison is browned, pop the pan in the oven at 200°C for five minutes until the meat is firm, but not tough.

5Remove the venison from the pan and place somewhere warm to rest. Toss the fennel and return to the oven for another 10 minutes.

6To serve, slice the venison, remove the string and arrange on a plate. Scatter over some roasted fennel. Melt the remaining butter in the warm pan, add any resting juices and squeeze in lemon juice. Drizzle that mixture over the plate and sprinkle over more breadcrumbs. Serve with fries.