Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (200 degrees C). Slice the skin to allow steam to escape. Place the chestnuts in a baking pan, and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and cool. Peel off the shell, and chop. You should have about 1 cup chopped chestnuts.
2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, the onions and carrots in the butter until soft. Stir in the flour, and cook until the flour browns. Mix in the broth, and season with bay leaf, and salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Preheat broiler, and position a rack 5 inches below the broiler element. Place the venison steaks in a broiling pan. Cook 5 minutes on each side. Transfer to a hot platter.
4. Strain the solids from the broth, and return the broth to the pan. Stir in Madeira and chestnuts. Pour hot chestnut sauce over venison steaks, and serve.