Smoked venison already comes with its own flavour, so very little has to be done to enhance it. Redcurrant jelly is traditonally served as an accompaniment, though some Oxfordshire chefs served it with blackberries this year, which was a delicious touch. Unfortunately, the blackberry season is over now, so I served my smoked saddle of venison on a be7d of celeriac and - on the advice of a friend - created a warm sauce flavoured with quince jelly, and Innis & Gunn's oak-aged beer. The beer worked particularly well, as it has such a glorious oaky flavour.

YOU WILL NEED: 335g (approx) cold smoked saddle venison Half tbspn olive oil Salt and freshly ground peppercorns to season.

For the sauce: Two very finely chopped shallots One tsp English mustard Three dessertspoons quince jelly Juice of half an orange Juice of half a lemon Third of a bottle of Innis & Gunn oak-aged beer Zest of half an orange cut into matchstick shapes Two tspns cornflour.

METHOD: Pat the steaks dry and season on both sides with a little salt and freshly ground black peppercorns.

Using a heavy bottomed frying pan, heat the oil as high as it will go. When it begins to smoke, add the venison steaks and seal on both sides.

Reduce the heat slightly and allow the steak to cook for a further ten minutes for rare and 12 to 14 minutes if you want the meat to be medium.

Remove the venison from the pan, cover with foil and allow to rest in a warm oven while you make the sauce.

Place chopped shallots, orange and lemon juice and the quince jelly in a saucepan and heat gently.

Add the strips of orange zest and almost all the beer - reserving enough to mix with the cornflour and mustard powder to make a thin paste.

Bring fruit juices and quince jelly and beer to boiling point, stir in the cornflour paste and keep stirring until the sauce begins to thicken.

Remove from heat, taste and adjust, adding a little more lemon juice or beer if needed Now remove venison from warm oven, slice thickly and serve on a bed of mashed celeriac.

Dribble a little of the sauce around the venison and serve.