The Rack
Heat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6. Heat a large non-stick ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat and add a drizzle of oil. Season the venison joint on both sides with salt and pepper and place in the hot pan. Colour the meat well on all sides for about 4 minutes. Add the butter to the pan and let it melt and foam, then add the thyme and baste the joint with the foaming butter.
Transfer the pan to the oven. Roast the venison for 15 minutes, then check; the meat should still be pink inside. Transfer to a warm platter and leave to rest in a warm place for 10 minutes. Save any juices in the pan.
Slice the venison and arrange on warm plates, reheat any pan juices and drizzle over the meat.

Butter a 20cm gratin dish and set aside. Bring the cream and nutmeg to a simmer in a saucepan and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Preheat the oven to 150C/gas mark 2. Peel the celeriac and slice very thinly – preferably with a mandoline. Peel and slice the beetroot and turnip in the same way. Place a layer of celeriac in the buttered dish, top with beetroot and turnip and repeat until all the vegetables are used, finishing with a layer of celeriac.
Pour the simmering cream mixture over the vegetables so that it covers them generously. Place the dish on a baking tray. Bake for about 1½ hours and then check the vegetables are cooked by inserting a sharp knife. If there is any resistance, put the dish back in the oven for 10 minutes.
Rosehip and crab apple jelly

Remove the stalks from the rosehips and place in a large non-stick pan. Cover with water and bring to the boil, then simmer gently until they are soft, topping up with water as required. This can take around an hour.
Pour the rosehips through a muslin cloth into a large bowl and leave the juices to drip through overnight – or for around 12 hours.
Wash the crab apples and chop roughly – there’s no need to peel and core them for this recipe. Place them in a pan and cover with water.
Add the juice of one lemon then slowly bring to the boil and simmer gently for around 30 minutes. Pour the cooked fruit through a sterilised muslin cloth, into a large bowl and leave the juices to drip through the muslin overnight – or for around 12 hours.
The next day, pour the juice into a deep heavy-bottomed saucepan and add the 50g sugar. Add the juice of one lemon, then heat the juices and sugar, stirring gently from time to time to dissolve the sugar, before bringing to the boil for around 10 minutes. Test every 3 to 5 minutes until setting point is reached. When the jelly has reached setting point, pour it into warm sterilised jars using a funnel then cover with a lid. Store in a cool, dark place until ready to serve.