Roast Mallard with sour cherry shallots

This feels about as Autumnal as things get. For the last few weeks I've been busy stocking the freezer with Pigeon, Pheasant and Wild duck; this recipe makes for a perfect Sunday lunch after a crisp, country walk. Serve with celeriac chips or mash.

1 Wild Duck (One Mallard will serve two, Teal and Widgeon are smaller so you’d need one each)

Salt and pepper

A large knob of soft butter

12 shallots, ends trimmed and peeled

Olive oil

A handful of dried sour cherries

A large wine glassful of sherry (not too dry)

1Tsp Honey

A few thyme sprigs

1 Heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Rub the butter into the duck skin, season well then sit on a metal roasting dish. Toss the shallots in a little olive oil then arrange around the bird. Roast for 35 minutes, basting the duck and turning the shallots regularly.

2 Remove the duck from the dish, cover with foil and leave in a warm place to rest. Drain off any fatty juice into a bowl and put the metal dish onto the hob. Pour in the sherry, thyme, honey and cherries, then simmer with the shallots on a medium heat for 10 – 15 minutes, until the sherry has reduced and the cherries have swollen.

Pan-fried Venison with parsley polenta and red wine sauce

Although most game is a concern of the Autumn and Winter months, there are certain wild meats that can be enjoyed all year round. Wood Pigeon is great at this time of year, as is my old buddy-pal Thumper. A freshly killed Rabbit flashed above the hot coals of a barbecue is a rare treat. The venison season for certain species of deer can start as early as July (Red deer stags) and finish at the beginning of May (Fallow bucks), so the season isn't quite as brief as one might expect. Truly wild Venison can be trickier to find in the summer months, although farmed is readily available all year round. This recipe works equally well with beef. Serves 4.

4 Venison steaks

150g Quick cook polenta

1 Litre Chicken stock, plus an extra 150ml for the red wine sauce

100g Mature Cheddar cheese, grated

2 Garlic cloves, finely grated

A handful of flatleaf parsley leaves

A splash of red wine

3 Juniper berries

Olive oil

1 Cook the polenta according to the pack instructions, then stir in the Cheddar, garlic, parsley and season to taste.

2 Heat a splash of olive oil in a non-stick pan (you can cook the meat on the BBQ if the sun's out). Season the venison steaks, then sear for 5 minutes on each side. Transfer the meat onto a plate to rest. 

3 De-glaze the pan with a generous slosh of red wine, then add the remaining 150ml of stock and the juniper berries. Keep the sauce on a quick bubble, until it has reduced and has thickened nicely.

4 To plate up, slice the venison steaks and arrange on top of a plate of polenta. Spoon over the red wine sauce and serve with a few sprigs of fresh parsley.