Game still tends to be underrated but the range on offer is good and generally the quality is excellent. It is really worth looking round.

Ingredients for 4 portions:

For the celeriac purée:
1 bulb of celeriac – approx. 350 g
½ lemons (juice)
Salt to taste
30 g butter
Freshly ground white pepper
Freshly ground nutmeg
100 ml   cream

For the sauce:
¼ l game stock
1 tbsp cranberries
1/8 l crème fraîche

For the mushrooms:
200 g button mushrooms or king oyster mushrooms
1 tbsp finely diced shallots
30 g butter
Salt to taste
Freshly ground white pepper
Freshly ground nutmeg
1 tbsp chopped parsley

For the venison medallions:
2 tbsp oil
20 g butter
12 venison medallions à 60 g
6 pressed juniper berries
1 sprig of thyme
Salt to taste
Freshly ground white pepper

For the celeriac chips:
1 small bulb of celeriac
Oil for frying

Tipps from Eckart Witzigmann:

• A recipe for late summer. I take the thick flank of the haunch of venison or loin fillet because these cuts are easiest to prepare at home.
• Using brown butter lends a special taste to the celeriac purée.
• This recipe can be prepared for two persons only by reducing the quantities appropriately.

Preparation (c. 60 minutes):

Peel and chop the celeriac into small pieces for the purée. Cook until tender with lemon juice in salted water.

Remove with a skimming ladle and mix to a fine purée with an electric mixer. Place into a saucepan, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and pour the cream in on a low heat whilst stirring. Finally mix in the cold butter.

Mix the game stock with the cranberries and reduce to half the volume. Add the crème fraiche, reduce until creamy and then pour through a sieve. Keep warm.

Dice the shallots and fry in hot butter until translucent. Add the mushrooms and fry until the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and mix in the parsley.

Roast venison medallions in hot oil, 1 tbsp. butter, juniper berries and sprig of thyme to a nice pink color. Season with salt and pepper, remove and keep warm.

To make the Chips, peel the celeriac and slice thinly, preferably with a cucumber slicer. Cut circles of 4 cm in diameter and bake them in a Teflon pan in oil which is not too hot and bake until crispy.

Boil the venison sauce again briefly. Arrange the venison medallions with the celeriac purée on pre-warmed plates. Cover with the hot sauce. Stick the celeriac chips into the purée and spread the mushrooms over the medallions.

Bon Appetit!