Peppered leg of venison with hot and sour cabbage

Ingredients

1 haunch venison, 2½g/5½lb
salt and cracked black pepper
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp vegetable oil
For the sauce:
50ml/2fl oz sherry vinegar
50ml/2fl oz meat stock or gravy (optional)
300ml/10fl oz double cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the hot and sour cabbage:
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 red cabbage, finely sliced
50ml/2fl oz sherry vinegar
2 eating apples, peeled, cored and chopped
2 tbsp raisins
1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger root
2 tbsp sugar
½ tsp freshly ground white pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
2. To cook the cabbage, melt the butter in a large, heavy-based casserole. Add the cabbage, sherry vinegar and salt. Cover and cook over a low heat for about 1 hour.
3. Stir in the apples, raisins, ginger and sugar and cook gently for another 30 minutes.
4. Finally, add the white pepper and check the seasoning to see if it needs more sugar or salt.
5. Meanwhile cook the venison and sauce. Trim the outside of the haunch to remove any sinew and fat. Work carefully to see that you do not remove too much. Separate each large muscle, one at a time, and place them to one side. Reserve the trim, shin and very small muscles for another use. Roll the large muscles in cracked black pepper and season them with salt.
6. Heat a large ovenproof frying pan and fry the pieces of venison in the butter and oil until they have a nice colour on all sides. Place them in the preheated oven for 5 minutes for medium rare or 8 minutes for medium to well done.
7. Remove the venison pieces from the pan and allow them to rest in a warm place.
8. Pour off any fat from the pan and add the sherry vinegar. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen all the delicious, caramalised juices.
9. Reduce the sherry vinegar to 1 tbsp then add the meat gravy, if using, and the cream. Reduce by boiling it quickly until it has reached a sauce consistency.
10. Season with salt and pepper.
11. To serve, spoon some piping hot cabbage on to warmed plates, slice the venison pieces and arrange the slices neatly on top of the cabbage. Pour over a little sauce and it is ready to serve.