Method:

• Step 1: Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

• Step 2: Cut pumpkin into wedges. In a bowl, mix pumpkin with olive oil, garlic, ginger, chili, brown sugar and paprika. Place pumpkin on a roasting tray and cook until soft and caramelised. Once soft and caramelised, mix into a purée.

  Step 3: Prepare salsa. Toast walnuts in a small pan until golden brown, around 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool, then use your hands to break the walnuts into small-ish pieces.

  • Heat oil and capers in a small saucepan over medium, swirling often, until capers burst and are golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Carefully pour oil and capers into a small heatproof bowl. Add the red chili flakes and currants. Let cool.

  • Stir in the walnuts (leaving as much papery skin behind) parsley, vinegar, and lemon zest; season with salt. Taste. If it tastes too sharp, add more olive oil by the tablespoon. If it needs more salt, add it to taste.

• Step 4: Prepare venison steaks. Ensure venison is at room temperature prior to cooking. Season venison with salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Brown venison in a hot pan (gas mark 4) with a splash of olive oil and a touch of butter (it only needs 10 seconds on each side, just to sear the edges).

• Step 5: Add fresh thyme sprigs to the pan and finish venison by roasting in the oven for 5-6 minutes. Remove from oven, and rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

• Step 6: While Venison is resting, sauté spinach in a pan with butter and finish with a dash of lemon juice.  

• Step 7: Wild venison steak atop caramelised pumpkin purée, sautéd spinach topped with walnut and currant salsa.