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Mini Yorkshire puddings with venison, brioche bread sauce, and caramelised onion gravy

Ingredients:

50ml Yorkshire beer
234 ml whole milk
4oz plain flour
3 eggs
Pinch of salt
Vegetable oil

50ml Kelham Island Pale Rider, or similar
100ml chicken/game stock
1 onion, finely sliced and pan-fried until golden brown
500g venison loin
1 bunch watercress
Olive oil

Brioche bread sauce:
1 onion
4 cloves
1 bay leaf
Fresh thyme
½ pint of milk
50g brioche breadcrumbs (just blitz some fresh brioche loaf in a food processor)
salt and freshly ground white pepper

NOTE: Pre-heat the oven to 220C

Method:

Yorkshire pudding batter:

• Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and make a well.
• Break in the eggs and add half the milk.
• Whisk the mixture until it forms a smooth paste. Whisk in the remainder of the milk, and then the beer
• Pass through a fine sieve to remove any lingering lumps.
• Cover the mixture and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using.
• Put your Yorkshire pudding tray in the oven for five to ten minutes, then remove and pour a thin film of vegetable oil into the bottom of each recess.
• Put back in the oven for a couple of minutes to get really hot (almost smoking). Remove from the oven again and pour the batter mixture up to the rim in each recess, and carefully put back into the oven.
• Leave for about fifteen minutes – or until the Yorkshires have risen and are brown and crispy around the top.

Venison:

• Season the loin with salt and pepper; heat a frying pan over the hob, and then add a couple of dessertspoons of olive oil. Make sure the oil is nearly smoking hot before adding the venison. Fry until golden brown on all sides, remove from the pan and place on a tray in the oven for about five minutes – to achieve medium-rare.
• Remove from the oven and rest for at least five minutes before carving into thin slivers.
• Meanwhile, put the pan you fried the venison in back on the hob, over a gentle heat, and add the caramelized onions. Add the beer, and allow to be absorbed by the onions; and then add the stock and allow to bubble for a minute or two before removing from the heat.Ìý

Brioche bread sauce:

• Stud the onion with the cloves and place in a pan with the milk and bay leaf. Bring to the boil, remove from the heat and allow to infuse for 30 – 45 minutes.
• Strain the milk into a clean pan, bring back to a simmer and add the breadcrumbs.
• Simmer on a very low heat for about fifteen minutes, allowing the breadcrumbs to thicken the sauce. Stir regularly and season with salt and pepper to taste.