This is a very tasty, savoury dish to serve as a starter or canapé. It goes perfectly with a martini, especially one made with a juniper-leading gin as the bitter botanicals complement the lean, gamey flavour of the venison.

This recipe comes from the Anna Mosesson’s book Swedish Food & Cooking and is prepared in a similar way to gravlax.

You’ll need to get the book for the full recipe. It involves a little preparation in advance but when it’s time to serve it’s just a case of slicing and dishing up.

This makes it a good option for a striking, unusual and very tasty starter if you’re serving a group of people.You basically take very fresh venison fillet, remove the fibrous sinews then rub in salt, pepper, sugar and thyme. Wrap it in tin foil and let it cure in the fridge for two days, then freeze it for up to seven days.

On the morning of the day when you want to serve the dish, or perhaps the night before, take out the fillet and slice it thinly. Leave it in the fridge to defrost until serving time.

Drizzle it with a little good quality olive oil, and a few drops of lemon juice and serve. I like it just as it is, alongside a nice, cold martini. A Lójhtu Martini comes to mind if you want to really evoke the wonders of the frozen north.

Skål / Kippis!