Loin of Venison with Walnut Gnocchi and Bitter Chocolate sauce

12 PORTIONS

saddle of venison 1
olive oil
butternut squash 1 peeled, cut into cubes
butter

For the walnut gnocchi:

cooked potatoes 500g
parmesan 75g, grated
walnuts 75g, grated
egg 1
egg yolk 1

For the bitter chocolate sauce:

full-bodied red wine 450ml
port 150ml
game stock (made from the venison bones) 900ml
bitter chocolate 200g, finely chopped

Remove loins from the bone. Remove all fat and sinew from the loin and cut into 12 equal portions. Season lightly, then cook over fierce heat in a frying pan to seal all sides. By the time it's all seared, it will be cooked pink; rest in a warm place to finish cooking.

Cook the squash in boiling salted water until just cooked and still slightly firm, drain then pan-fry in a knob of butter, and season.

Meanwhile, to make the walnut gnocchi, fold all the ingredients together without overworking, roll out into long sausages on a cold worktop dusted with flour. Cut into 2cm pieces and roll off a fork to shape. Cook in salted boiling water and refresh in ice water. Drain; pan-fry in a little oil and a knob of butter, and season.

To make the chocolate sauce, deglaze the frying pan with wine and port and reduce by half. Add stock and reduce by half again. Pass through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan, season and a over medium heat whisk in 2 tbsp of butter. Just before serving, whisk in the finely chopped chocolate.

Serve the venison with the butternut squash, chocolate sauce, gnocchi, girolles and spinach pan-fried in a little oil and knob of butter.Serve on parsnip purée (optional).