Medallions of Venison with caramelised Plums and triple reduced Whiskey and Red Wine Sauce

Serves 4, takes 3 and a half hours, plus overnight marinating of plums

This really is quite posh, and is a great one for a dinner party

8 x 125g medallions of venison loin or beef fillet

1 tbsp vegetable oil

Plums:

12 just-ripe plums

100g caster sugar

Zest of 1 orange

Juice of 3 oranges

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp pickling spice

1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

1 cinnamon stick

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

Sauce:

4 shallots, peeled and finely chopped

100g unsalted buffer

1 tsp dried juniper berries, lightly crushed

1 tsp whole green peppercorns

1 bay leaf

50ml whiskey

50ml Balsamic Vinegar

50ml red wine

1 tbsp redcurrant jelly

• In a non metallic baking dish, mix together the plums, sugar, zest and juice of one of the oranges, the lemon juice, pickling spice, chilli, cinnamon and vinegar
• Cover and chill for at least 12 hrs, preferably overnight
• Preheat oven to 130°C (Gas mark 3-4)
• Place the baking tray of plums etc in the oven. Roast for 3 hrs until caramelised. Remove cinnamon stick and set aside
• An hour before you want to serve:
• Fry shallots in 40g butter until soft. Add juniper berries, peppercorns, bay leaf and whiskey. Boil rapidly until reduced by half
• Add balsamic vinegar and red wine and boil rapidly till reduced by two-thirds
• Add juice of 2 oranges and boil rapidly till reduced by half
• Stir in redcurrant jelly and keep warm
• Just before serving:
• In a frying pan, fry the meat in oil + 25g butter for 1-4 mins, according to taste, on each side. Put on dining plates and keep warm
• Pour sauce into meat pan and bring to boil. Whisk in remaining butter, and then strain
• Top meat with the warm plums, pour the sauce around and serve