Rack of venison, roasted carrots & forager sauce

• medium carrots↗8

  washed and peeled

• star anise4
• butter↗100g g
• juniper berries12
• dried thyme↗1 tsp tsp
• rapeseed oil↗4 ½ tbsp tbsp
• venison↗2 x 6-bone racks of

  French trimmed

• banana shallot↗1

  finely chopped

• litre brown chicken stock1 l
• sloe gin↗50ml ml
• blackberries↗150g g

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Lay the carrots, star anise and butter in a roasting tin. Sprinkle with a little flaky salt and roast for 30 mins. While the carrots cook, crush the juniper berries using a pestle and mortar, then add 1 tsp salt, the thyme and 4 tbsp rapeseed oil.

2. 2

   Rub the mix all over the venison racks, then sear in a large, hot frying pan for 4 mins until they are evenly coloured all over. Lower the oven temperature to 60C/40C fan/gas 1/4, put the racks on top of the carrots, bone-side up, and roast for 2 hrs. At this low temperature an electric oven will be more accurate (if using gas, check regularly).

3. 3

   Meanwhile, make the sauce. Fry the shallot in the remaining oil in a saucepan over a medium heat until softened. In a separate saucepan, reduce the stock to 300ml, then pour it over the shallot with the sloe gin. Bring to a simmer and reduce slightly. Stir in the blackberries in the final few mins to heat through, then serve.