Smoking Mike Robinson stalks, skins then serves rustic style venison
Celebrity chef Mike Robinson wowed a packed audience at the Chester Food & Drink Festival demonstration stage by skinning a deer then cooking the venison in six different ways.
TV chef Mike, who owns The Pot Kiln in Berkshire and has cooked on UKTV Food, Saturday Kitchen and Heaven’s Kitchen, cooked a loin of smoked venison; smoked with the wooden shavings of a cooking spoon, accompanied by a tomato salsa. Mike also cooked a thinly sliced Carpaccio of venison, venison stew, with Cognac and green peppercorns, as well as Roe liver with red chilli and red wine and a finely chopped Tartare of venison.
Earlier Mike showed the audience how to butcher the deer, taking off the shoulders, flanks and loins. Within minutes, Mike then cooked a Carpaccio of venison, with a champ mash and green beans, which was demolished by members of the audience. Mike also cooked a fish dish, of linguine with crab meat, cherry tomatoes and rocket.
Mike said: “My whole direction is about using what is near to us in the countryside. I love venison and truly believe the food in Britain is the best in the world. I enjoy simple, peasant cooking, where doing less is better than more. Wild venison is incredibly good for you. Roe deer are very fit, never get diseases, have no cholesterol and no saturated fats, as well as being high in antioxidants. I had a Roe deer ready for Chester at my restaurant, but it had to be used, so I went and shot one at 5pm yesterday. I had no time for advance preparation, but this is a good thing, as I can show the people of Chester how to prepare venison. I spoke to Mr Rimmer yesterday, who said I will definitely enjoy Chester and I certainly have.”
Earlier Paul Taylor, of The Fat Loaf in Altrincham and Sale, cooked a starter of Brotworst German sausage with poached eggs, cabbage and mustard, a course of sea bass with olives, French beans, Cheshire new potatoes and chervil and a luxury steak sandwich. Paul has worked at Bohemia, a Michelin starred restaurant on Jersey, as well as with Marco Pierre White and Gordon Ramsay.
For more information about other events happening over the Chester Food & Drink Festival please visit www.chesterfoodanddrink.com
Chester’s Food and Drink Festival is organised on behalf of Chester City Council with support from the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), Cheshire County Council, Made in Cheshire and North West Fine Foods and Visit Chester & Cheshire, the tourism board for Cheshire and Warrington.
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