Peppered Venison Loin With Zinfandel Huckleberry Sauce Recipes

VENISON TENDERLOIN WITH BERRY SAUCE AND CREAMY POTATOES

Steps:

• For the potatoes: Peel the potatoes and cut into 1-inch chunks. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan of cold, salted water. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. When the water boils, lower the heat to medium and simmer the potatoes until they're fork tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
• For the venison: Season both sides of the venison tenderloins with salt and pepper.
• Heat a large saute pan over high heat and add the oil. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add the tenderloins. Reduce the heat to medium and sear the tenderloins on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove the loins from the pan and let rest until ready to serve.
• For the potatoes: Drain the potatoes well and transfer to a bowl. Mash the potatoes until there are no lumps. Stir in the butter, nutmeg, cream, salt, and white pepper. Stir until creamy, adding more cream if needed. You want smooth, creamy potatoes. Taste and season with more salt and white pepper, if needed.
• For the sauce: In a small saucepan, combine all of the ingredients, except for the blueberries and butter. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat, add the blueberries, and simmer until reduced a little and thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, strain the sauce back into the saucepan, season with salt and pepper, and then whisk in the butter. Hold warm until serving.
• To plate: Spoon potatoes into the center of the plate. Slice the venison loin into 1/2-inch thick slices on a bias. Lay slices over potatoes. Top with sauce.

PEPPERED VENISON LOIN WITH ZINFANDEL HUCKLEBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Rub the venison with the oil, thyme, peppercorns, and salt. Let stand for 1 hour at room temperature.
• For the sauce: Heat the oil in a 4-quart saucepan over high heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, and apple. Sauté over high heat, stirring often, until the vegetables caramelize slightly, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the Zinfandel and port. Simmer briskly until reduced to a syrup, about 15 minutes. Add the chicken stock, thyme, and 1/2 cup huckleberries. Simmer until reduced to a sauce consistency, about 30 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve, pressing on the solids. You should have about 1/2 cup sauce. Return the sauce to a small saucepan and add the remaining 2 tablespoons huckleberries.
• Preheat the oven to 500°F. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over high heat. Add the 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is almost smoking, add the venison and sear on all sides, about 2 minutes total, then transfer the skillet to the oven and roast the venison until the internal temperature reaches 120°F (for medium-rare), 5 to 6 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before carving.
• To serve, slice the venison about 1/4 inch thick. Gently warm the sauce. Arrange the venison on dinner plates and spoon the sauce around it, not over it. Serve immediately.
• Enjoy with Cakebread Cellars Zinfandel or another full-bodied red wine with plentiful fruit.

ROASTED VENISON LOIN, GRAINS, PARSNIP PUREE, SAUCE POIVRADE

Steps:

• Debone the venison saddle by following the bones carefully. Trim the membrane and nerve from venison loin, and reserve the loin for roasting. Reserve the bones (chop them up) and trimmings for the sauce poivrade. Reserve the tenderloins for another use.
• To make the sauce poivrade:
• In a large bowl, combine the reserved chopped bones and trimmings, wine, vinegar, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, peppercorns, and juniper berries. Let the bones marinate for at least 24 hours.
• Strain the marinade through a colander into a mixing bowl, reserving both the marinade and bones and vegetables. Let the marinade stand for about 5 minutes. Separate the bones from the vegetables.
• Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over high heat. Add the bones from the marinade and cook until they've caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add the vegetables from the marinade. Cook to develop a nice brown color, another 10 minutes. Add sugar to the pan and let caramelize. Pour in the wine marinade and stir and scrape the pan drippings to deglaze. Boil and let reduce by two-thirds. Add enough veal stock to cover. Simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, skimming the surface often. Strain through a fine chinois into a saucepan. Simmer and skim. Let the sauce reduce until a coating consistency is achieved. If desired, add the cream to finish the sauce.
• To make the roasted venison:
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• In a large pan or roasting pan, heat the olive oil on medium heat. When hot, sear each side of the venison loin until a light color is achieved. Roast the venison for about 8 to 10 minutes. Let rest for about 5 minutes and slice into medallions.
• To make the parsnip puree:
• Boil the parsnip in boiling water until it's tender. Strain. Add the butter, cream, salt, and pepper. Puree in a food possessor.
• To serve:
• In a medium saute pan over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil and add the shallots. Stir and cook for 1 minute. Add the mustard greens, if using, along with 2 cups each of the cooked farro and quinoa. Stir to combine and heat through. Add the pumpkin soup to bind the mixture. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Place the mixture in the individual molds and pack to tighten. Place the molds on each plate and push through to position in desired location.
• Place 2 medallions of venison on each plate, along with the parsnip puree and grains. Add the released juices from the meat to the sauce poivrade and bring to a boil. Sauce the venison and serve.
• Bring the water and salt to a boil in a large heavy-bottomed pot. Add the quinoa. Reduce the heat and simmer until the quinoa opens up revealing a little spiral and is soft and pleasant to chew, about 20 minutes. If there is any remaining liquid, drain it. Drizzle the quinoa with a few splashes of olive oil and set aside.
• Melt the butter with the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and saute for 1 minute. Add the farro and cook for 2 minutes to toast, and then add the wine. Simmer, stirring frequently, until almost all the liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots and then the chicken broth, 1 cup at a time, stirring frequently and simmering until the liquid is absorbed and the farro is just tender, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.

VENISON TENDERLOIN WITH CABERNET SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Rub the venison with garlic and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Put olive oil in a heavy skillet.
• Add venison and sear over high heat until browned on all sides- about 3 minutes Place in oven and roast until medium-rare; for 16- 20 minutes, turning once.
• Meanwhile, combine the wine with the vegetables and herbs and bring to a boil.
• Reduce by half over medium heat- about 8 minutes.
• Strain out vegetables and discard.
• In a saucepan, reduce broth by half over high heat- about 7 minutes.
• Combine all the liquids.
• When meat is done, remove to cutting board and cover loosely with foil.
• Pour any fat from the pan and deglaze with the reduced liquids
• Whisk in the cold butter and add salt and pepper.
• Spoon a bit of sauce over each meat serving.

VENISON TENDERLOIN WITH MADEIRA GREEN PEPPERCORN SAUCE

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.
• Pat venison dry and sprinkle with black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Heat oil in an ovenproof 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until just smoking, then brown venison on all sides (except ends), about 3 minutes total.
• Transfer skillet with venison to oven and roast until thermometer inserted diagonally 2 inches into center registers 115°F, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer venison with tongs to a plate and let stand, loosely covered with foil, 5 minutes (temperature will rise to 125°F for medium-rare).
• While meat stands, add shallot to skillet (handle will be hot) and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes. Add Madeira and deglaze skillet by boiling, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until liquid is reduced by half, about 1 minute. Add demi-glace and boil, stirring, until sauce is slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Stir in peppercorns, butter, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and any meat juices that have accumulated on plate, then remove from heat.
• Cut venison into 1/2-inch-thick slices and serve with sauce.