James Lowe's fallow deer loin with red cabbage and quince

Fallow deer is ideal for the home cook. Out of fallow, roe and red deer, roe deer has the mildest flavour and is the smallest, so requires more precise cooking. Red deer is the largest of the three and has the strongest flavour. In my opinion, fallow loin from a buck or a doe at this time of year will have the best balance.

It is not just breed and size that affects the flavour – other factors are the age of the animal, the cut, the sex and when it was killed. For example, a red stag during mating season will be the most powerfully flavoured of the lot. I love the combination of red cabbage and quince so much that we have served this by itself at the restaurant. If you hold back a couple of quinces and purée the rest, you can serve pieces of quince alongside the venison for a contrast in texture.