Move over turkey, our in-house chef from Gatherers Catering has put together an incredible recipe for an alternative table centrepiece!

A twist on a classic dish, this venison wellington not only looks stunning but is rich and flavoursome, perfect for winter feasting. Enjoy alongside traditional roasted vegetables, bubble and squeak or mashed potato for that extra comfort food indulgence.

As for the wine, the combination of game meat and earthy mushrooms means a red will pair best. The perennial favourite Château Barrail du Blanc Grand Cru St-Émilion is a perfect choice with its delectably dark and juicy berry fruit and fine-grained structure. For something a little more savoury, Moulin-à-Vent Champ de Cour from Domaine Labruyère seamlessly integrates seductive undergrowth notes with dark forest fruits for a serious iteration of Gamay — a far cry from the renowned Beaujolais Nouveau!

Alternatively, enjoy alongside Ridolfi’s Brunello di Montalcino. Wonderfully expressive cherry fruit and dried herb character with succulent texture will easily match those delicious pastry elements! Finally, for something a tad less traditional but wonderfully delicious, Gimmeldinger Schlossel Spätburgunder from Weingut Christmann might be a mouthful to say, but it slips down effortlessly… Supple and juicy with purity of fruit, this is a perfumed Pinot of outstanding quality.

Venison Wellington for 4 people

700g loin of venison

1 ½ tbsp English mustard

50g butter

1 large shallot, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

400g mushrooms, pulsed in a food processor

1 tbsp chopped sage

1 tbsp chopped parsley

12 slices prosciutto or blanched Savoy cabbage leaves

400g rough puff pastry (see recipe below) or use ready-made rolled puff pastry.

2 beaten egg yolks

Firstly, dry the venison with kitchen roll, then season well. Heat the oil in a frying pan and sear the meat all over for about 8 mins. Brush with mustard, leave to cool, then chill for 20 mins. Melt the butter and soften the shallot and garlic. Add the mushrooms, herbs and seasoning, and cook for 10 mins until you have a paste-like mixture.

Overlap 2-3 sheets of cling film on a clean surface and lay the prosciutto or cabbage in two rows, slightly overlapping each slice. Spread the cooled mushroom paste all over the prosciutto. Place the venison fillet in the centre of the mushroom mixture. Using the edge of the cling film, carefully draw the layer of prosciutto and mushroom around the meat. Roll into a sausage shape, twisting the ends of the cling film as you do, to form a tight log. Chill for 30 mins to firm up.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry to a rectangle a little larger than a magazine, and trim the edges to neaten. Unwrap the prosciutto parcel and lay in the middle of the pastry. Fold over the bottom half of the pastry. Lightly brush the rest of the sheet with the beaten egg. Roll the whole thing around the meat to encase. Neatly fold under the shorter edges to create a parcel. Transfer to a baking sheet and all over with beaten egg yolk. Chill for at least 30 mins (or up to 24 hours). Then, using the back of a knife, mark the pastry, being careful not to cut all the way through.

Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Lightly oil a non-stick baking tray and heat until hot. Put the Wellington on the tray and bake for 30 mins (if you have a meat thermometer, you are looking for an internal temperature of 46c for medium-rare or 55c for medium as it will continue to cook during the resting). Remove from oven, brush with extra egg and rest for 20 mins. This could be served with some Madeira-infused gravy and traditional trimmings.

“Rough” Puff Pastry:

600g plain flour

pinch salt

100g butter, chilled and cut into cubes

240g butter: frozen, grated and divided into two bowls (keep in freezer)

Mix the flour and salt together in a bowl. Rub in the chilled butter using your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add chilled water to form a dough (about 4-6 tablespoons of water).

Roll the dough out into a rectangle on a floured work surface. Spread half of the frozen butter over the bottom two-thirds of the dough. Fold down the top third and fold up the bottom third as if folding a letter.

Turn the folded dough through 90 degrees and roll it out into a rectangle again. Repeat the process of adding the remaining frozen butter and fold as before.

Wrap the dough in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes before using.