Peppered Venison Loin With Zinfandel Huckleberry Sauce Recipes

Steps:

• Venison Loin: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Season the steaks with salt and pepper. Sear steaks quickly in a hot pan with olive oil on both sides and finish in oven to desired doneness. Slice meat and fan it out.
• Serve with Lingonberry Cognac sauce, crispy potato noodles (Schupf Noodles), Caramelized Chestnuts and green asparagus.
• To peel chestnuts, cut an "x" with a paring knife in the flat side of the nut. They can be either boiled or roasted just until the skin begins to pull away. Work in small batches, keeping the chestnuts warm, and pull and cut away the tough outer skin. Clean chestnuts the thin brown skin from the chestnuts. Melt sugar until it is caramel color and add red wine until smooth and caramel sugar is melted. Add cleaned chestnuts, toss, and set pot aside.
• Sweat shallots in butter. Add orange juice and red wine. Reduce down to 1/2. Add lingonberries, cognac, and veal-glace. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Add mustard and simmer for 10 more minutes. Then strain through china cap.
• Bake potatoes until very soft. Let cool. Peel and shred potatoes through a very fine shredder into a large mixing bowl. Add spices, egg, and flour. Mix all ingredients quickly to form a dough. Now roll the dough into rounds, about 1/4-inch thick and 4-inch long.
• Place noodles on flour dusted plate and put in freezer. Noodles can be prepared a few days before the dinner. To finish noodles, fry in canola oil until golden brown and crispy.

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.

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.