Pan Roasted Venison With Crushed Blackberry Ancho Chile Sauce And Sweet Potato Toasted Pine Nut Polenta Recipes

BERRY CHILE SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine the raspberries, sugar, raspberry jam, chile powder, and lime juice in a pot over medium heat and let simmer gently until thick and syrupy. Remove from heat and let cool.
• Cook's Note: Mango and chile are a classic combination. The sweet works beautifully with the heat. In cities where there are large Latino populations, it's common to see fruit carts selling chopped up mangos in plastic bags sprinkled with chile powder.

PAN ROASTED VENISON WITH SPICY CRANBERRY MEXICAN CINNAMON SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine gin, port, thyme and juniper berries in a medium shallow baking dish. Add the venison and turn to coat. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
• Heat oil in a large saute pan over high heat until almost smoking. Remove the venison from the marinade and shake off excess. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook on 1 side until golden brown. Turn over, reduce heat to medium and continue cooking until medium-rare, 3 to 4 minutes. Serve with the sauce and Sweet Potato and Plaintain puree.
• Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, celery, garlic, and carrots and cook until soft. Raise the heat to high and add the port, cook until dry. Add the port, cranberry juice, stock, cinnamon, allspice, and cranberries and cook until a sauce consistency is formed. Finish with the cold butter and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Place potatoes and plantains on a large baking sheet and roast until the potatoes are soft, about 50 to 60 minutes and the plantains are completely black.
• Slice each potato in half lengthwise, scoop out the flesh and place it in the bowl of a large food processor. Peel the plantains and add the flesh to the sweet potatoes. Add the butter, salt, cinnamon and 1/4 cup maple syrup and process until smooth. Add the cream and pulse until combined.
• Place the puree into a medium baking dish and place in the oven for 10 minutes to heat through. Remove and drizzle the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of maple syrup and serve.

PAN ROASTED CHICKEN WITH CRUSHED BLACKBERRY-ANCHO SAUCE AND GREEN ONION SMASHED POTATOES

Steps:

• For the puree: Combine the ancho and water in a small bowl and let stand 30 minutes. Drain well, reserving the soaking liquid. Remove the seeds and stems and puree in a food processor with the garlic, cilantro and 1/2 cup of the liquid, adding more if needed.
• For the sauce: Melt the butter in a medium or large nonreactive saucepan over medium heat. Saute the celery, carrot and onions until the celery and carrot are tender and the onions are translucent, about 7 minutes. Add the peppercorns and continue cooking 2 more minutes. Add the port, red wine, cranberry juice concentrate, ancho puree, sugar and stock, stirring constantly and making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan. Cook until the mixture is reduced by half, strain, season to taste with salt and pepper and fold in the blackberries.
• For the chicken: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, chile powder and season with salt and pepper. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
• Saute 2 cloves of garlic and spinach. Cool down over ice.
• Divide the spinach among the chicken breasts, placing it in the center of each. Roll up the meat and tie with kitchen string. Dredge the rolls in the flour mixture and shake off the excess.
• In a large ovenproof saute pan over medium-high heat, heat the oil until almost smoking and sear the rolls until slightly crusty, about 1 minute on each side. Place the pan in the oven and cook the meat an additional 8 minutes for medium. Let rest before slicing.
• For the potatoes: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Brush scallions with some of olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place on a sheet pan and roast for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and coarsely chop. Toss the potatoes with the remaining olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until just a bit overcooked but not brown. As soon as they come out of the oven, place the potatoes in a large mixing bowl, add the garlic, scallions, and butter. Smash with a potato masher to achieve a rustic texture, not smooth. Season with salt and pepper.