I've got a leg of venison in the freezer that I was planning on cooking soon but thought I'd see if anyone has any recipe ideas.

I was thinking of cooking on a bed of puy lentils but any other ideas of (or indeed recipes with the puy lentils) gratefully received.

Step 1, buy a bigger oven. A leg of venison is massive.

Here's some info on venison.
Scroll halfway for a suggestion.
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandst...-roast-venison

How big/heavy is it?
I'd be tempted to oven cook it low and long or use a slow cooker if it fits.
I've only ever cooked venison steaks.

Lol Alan! Oven size is fine, it's not a massive leg, about the same size as a decent sized leg of lamb.

Saw that page thanks Toby. I'm presuming that marinading it for a day is probably going to be needed then slow cooking it in the oven on the bed of lentils with finely chopped veg. Just wondering about other potential flavours to put in there when cooking or totally different ideas of course!

I've only cooked venison steaks but my favourite thing to serve with them is smoked cheese and garlic mash, roasted beetroot and red wine and chocolate sauce. All go together very nicely.

Thanks for the idea Jambo. Actually had venison steaks last night, just did them simply pan fried with veg and redcurrant jelly.

Finely chopped veg and 4-6 hours roasting will probably result in mush.

You might want to consider chunky veg which will be used for the gravy then discarded and cook your lentils with finely chopped veg seperately.

Yep, think I'm actually going to roast it normally so it's medium rare and do the lentils separately.

Roast on a trivet of roughly-chopped veg - carrot, celery and onion. Add a couople of glasses of red wine to the pan, a couple of bay leaves and some juniper berries. If you keep the liquid topped up during roasting (water is fine), you'll then have a great basis for a sauce at the end - strain the pan juices and heat through with a good dollop of redcurrant jelly.

Puy lentils do sound good (one of my faves), but I'd be tempted to go for boulangere potatoes and braised red cabbage.