We finally cracked how to get dessert into our main course

Chris Kipping of Restaurant 22 shares his colourful recipe of venison with pearl barley risotto, roast butternut squash and dark chocolate jus

Chris: ‘It’s one of my favourites; I like the colours – the nice bright orange of the squash, the greens – and then a nice bit of deer on top!’

Serves 6

500g butternut squash

1 clove garlic (chopped)

4 sprigs fresh thyme

4tbsp olive oil

good pinch of Maldon sea salt

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 stick celery, finely chopped

50g unsalted butter

500g pearl barley

2.1l (approx) chicken stock

100g cine di rape (leaves only)

100g dark chocolate

4oz per person venison

1 Roast the butternut squash. Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6. Peel and cube the squash into approx 2cm cubes. Mix together garlic, thyme, plenty of sea salt and pepper. Stir in olive oil. Coat the squash in the herb oil mixture. Place on a large flat tray and roast for 15-20mins or until tops are light brown.

2 Prepare the pearl barley risotto. Melt the butter in a large, thick-bottomed saucepan then add the celery and onion. Allow to soften and begin to colour. Add pearl barley and stir to coat each grain. Briefly cook then add hot chicken stock, ladle by ladle, stirring continuously. Continue until rice is al dente, about 15 mins, using approx 1.5l stock.

3. Make the dark chocolate jus. Reduce 600ml chicken stock by three-quarters. Add the dark chocolate and whisk until dissolved.

4. Cook the venison. Seal off the meat and place in the hot oven ( 200C/gas 6) and cook for eight minutes. Leave to rest for a further five minutes.

6. Add the roasted butternut squash and cine de rape leaves to the risotto and serve with the venison on top. Serve with the chocolate jus in a jug on the side.

Chris’s top tip ‘Cook the meat how you like it, but if you’re doing it medium rare, it’s vital to leave it to rest for those five minutes, otherwise it will still be raw in the middle. The meat needs time to release its juices’

Chris has been cheffing for 10 years, and was sous chef at the Three Horseshoes in Madingley before going on to head chef at the Old Bridge in Huntingdon then the Falcon in Fotheringhay. Now 32, he has been at Restaurant 22 for two years. His philosophy is British food using good local ingredients. ‘During the mushroom season, we forage and if Armando’s growing something we’ll have it on our menu,’ he says. ‘It’s about using the best of what’s around at the time - for two reasons: one, it’s cheaper because it’sgrowing nearby and local; and two it’s readilyavailable.’

Restaurant 22, 22 Chesterton Road CB4 3AX, 01223 351880, restaurant22.co.uk