Flummoxed Venison

Take the venison steaks out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before cooking. Pat them completely dry with kitchen paper. Moisture on the surface will steam the meat instead of searing it, and you will lose the crust that carries most of the flavour in this dish.

Season the steaks generously on both sides with the sea salt and cracked black pepper. Press the seasoning in with your palm.

Heat a heavy-based casserole or deep ovenproof frying pan over a high heat until it is properly hot. Add the rapeseed oil and wait until it just begins to smoke. Sear the steaks two at a time, 2 to 3 minutes per side, without moving them. You are looking for a deep brown crust, nearly mahogany. Set aside on a plate.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the same pan with the residual fat. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened and taken on some colour at the edges.

Add the garlic cloves, juniper berries, thyme, and rosemary. Stir for 1 minute.

Pour in the sloe gin. It will bubble and reduce fast; scrape the bottom of the pan as it does to lift any caramelised bits. This takes about 45 seconds.

Add the red wine and bring to a steady simmer. Let it reduce by half, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.

Stir in the tomato puree, then pour in the stock. Bring back to a simmer. Taste the liquid; it should be sharp and slightly tannic at this stage. That is correct.

Return the steaks to the pan, nestling them into the liquid. They should be about half submerged. Place a lid on and transfer to an oven preheated to 150 degrees Celsius.

Braise for 70 minutes. Check at the 50-minute mark: the meat should be tender when pressed with a spoon but not falling apart. Venison is lean and will turn grainy if it goes too long. Pull it when it yields with a little resistance.

While the venison braises, cook the potatoes and celeriac together in well-salted boiling water for approximately 20 minutes until both are completely tender. Drain thoroughly and leave to steam-dry in the colander for 3 to 4 minutes.

Pass through a potato ricer or mash by hand. Beat in the 50g butter while the mash is still hot, then add the warmed milk gradually until you reach a consistency that holds on a spoon but is not stiff. Season with salt and white pepper. Cover and keep warm.

Remove the casserole from the oven. Lift the steaks out and set them on a warm plate, loosely covered with foil.

Strain the braising liquid through a sieve into a small saucepan, pressing the vegetables to extract everything. Discard the solids. Bring the liquid to a brisk simmer and reduce for 8 to 10 minutes until it coats the back of a spoon. Add the cider vinegar and taste; it should cut through the game sweetness. Swirl in the 10g butter off the heat to gloss the sauce.

Spoon the celeriac and potato mash into the centre of four warmed plates. Place a venison steak alongside or on top. Spoon the sauce over generously. Scatter flat-leaf parsley over everything and serve immediately.