Method
Place the blackberries and elderberries in a large bowl. Use a spoon or the back of a fork to crush the berries up a bit. They want to look juicy by the time you’re done. Add the salt, sugar, juniper, thyme, peppercorns and bay and give it all a good mix.
Place the trimmed venison loin on a large plate. Rub the blackberry cure over the meat. It wants to have a fairly even covering, so it all cures at the same rate. Cover the venison and place it in the fridge for 24 hours, turning it through the cure once or twice during that time. When its time’s up, lift the meat off the plate and rinse it briefly in a bowl of fresh, cold water. This will help remove the excess salt. Use some kitchen paper or a clean tea towel to pat the venison dry, then place it on a clean plate and pop it back in the fridge, uncovered. Try to leave it in the fridge for a further 12–24 hours. This will help it dry out a little.
To serve, cut the venison into thin slices across the grain. Arrange the cured venison slices over one large or two smaller plates. Dress the extra blackberries and elderberries with half the lemon juice and half the extra-virgin olive oil and give them a little tumble together. Then, spoon them, along with their juices, over the plate. Finish with a spritz more lemon and a final trickle of extra-virgin olive oil.
