Roast Venison with Cherry and Madeira Sauce

STEP 1: PREPARE THE VENISON

Take the venison out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Trim away any silverskin with a thin knife, pat the loin completely dry with paper towels and leave it on a wire rack. Do not salt it yet.

STEP 2: BUILD THE SAUCE BASE

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat and sweat the shallots for 4-5 minutes, until soft but not colored. Add the Madeira and reduce by about two-thirds. Add the stock and thyme and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until reduced by roughly half and glossy enough to coat the back of a spoon. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and hold warm. The cherries go in only at the end, so they stay bright and do not stew the sauce sweet.

STEP 3: SEAR THE CELERIAC FONDANTS

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Peel the celeriac thickly to remove all the knobbly skin, cut it into slices 1 1/4 inches (3 cm) thick and stamp out four 3-inch (7.5 cm) rounds with the cutter. Season the rounds with kosher salt. Heat the oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat, not high. Add the rounds and cook for 4-5 minutes without moving them, until the underside is an even golden brown, the color of light caramel. Stop there: mahogany edges or an acrid smell mean the sugars have gone past caramel into bitterness.

STEP 4: BRAISE THE FONDANTS

Turn the rounds over. Only now add the butter, thyme and garlic; butter added at the start of a sear browns, then burns, long before the celeriac is colored. When the butter foams, pour in stock to come halfway up the rounds. Transfer to the oven for 35-45 minutes, basting twice, until a knife slides through the center with no resistance. Check the pan at each baste and top up with a splash of stock if it looks dry, so the underside does not scorch against the bare pan.

STEP 5: FRY THE PARSNIP CRISPS

While the fondants braise, peel the parsnips and discard the skins, then keep peeling long ribbons with the Y-shaped peeler down to the woody core. Heat the frying oil in a deep saucepan to 325°F (160°C), checking with the thermometer; parsnips are sugary and brown quickly, so the moderate temperature matters. Fry in small batches for 1-2 minutes, until pale gold and the bubbling slows. Lift onto paper towels and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. They crisp further as they cool.

STEP 6: BLANCH THE CAVOLO NERO

Bring a large saucepan of well-salted water to a boil. Blanch the cavolo nero leaves for 1 minute, plunge them into iced water, then squeeze dry, roughly chop and set aside.

STEP 7: ROAST THE VENISON

When the fondants are tender, lift the skillet from the oven and keep the fondants warm in their liquor. Raise the oven to 400°F (200°C). If using asparagus, toss it with the oil and a pinch of salt on a small baking sheet and roast for 8-10 minutes while you cook the venison. Season the loin generously with kosher salt and pepper. Heat the oil in the second heavy ovenproof skillet over high heat until shimmering, then sear the loin for 60-90 seconds on each side, including the ends, until deeply browned all over. Add the butter, thyme and garlic and baste for 1 minute. Transfer to the oven for 4-8 minutes, depending on thickness, until the thickest point reads 125°F (52°C). Rest on a wire rack, loosely tented, for 8-10 minutes; it will climb to about 130°F (54°C), medium-rare, caramelized outside and pink in the center.

STEP 8: BRAISE THE CAVOLO NERO

While the venison rests, warm the butter and garlic in a skillet over medium heat, add the cavolo nero and stock and braise for 2-3 minutes, until tender and glossy. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice and season with salt.

STEP 9: FINISH THE SAUCE AND PLATE

Bring the sauce base to a simmer, add the cherries and cook for 2-3 minutes, just until softened but holding their shape. Taste: if it leans sweet, add red wine vinegar half a teaspoon at a time, and season with salt. Off the heat, swirl in the cold butter and any resting juices from the venison. On warm plates, lay a bed of cavolo nero, slice the venison into thick medallions and arrange them on top. Set a fondant alongside, crown it with parsnip crisps, add the asparagus if using, and spoon the sauce and cherries around. Serve immediately, before the crisps meet the sauce and soften.