bacon

Chicken-fried Venison with Cream Gravy, Sage and Bacon

/ Ren

A twist on the chicken-fried steak familiar throughout the South (likely first introduced to Texas as Schnitzel by German immigrants in the 1800’s) , this decidedly delicious comfort food favors lean, wild venison over cube steak and adds dried herbs, fresh  sage and bacon.  The result is surprisingly light, crispy and deeply flavorful..

 

Chicken-fried Venison with Cream Gravy, Sage and Bacon

 

 

Serves 2

8-10 ounces wild venison backstrap (boneless loin, similar in texture to filet mignon but much more flavorful)
2-3 strips bacon
1/4 cup (loose) fresh sage leaves
beef tallow (flavor neutral) for frying

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons organic, whole wheat flour, divided (sprouted flour preferred)
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon dried grilling spices (thyme, rosemary, garlic, etc.), crushed

1 pastured egg
1/3 cup milk

1 1/2 tablespoons pastured butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons buttermilk
1/4 cup homemade chicken stock
1/2 cup fresh cream
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cut the backstrap into equal portions of about 4-5 ounces each.  Place between pieces of plastic wrap and use a meat mallet to pound evenly into 1/4 inch thick slices.  Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and allow to stand 10 minutes on an absorbent surface.

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Once the foam subsides, whisk in 2 tablespoons of flour and stir continuously until a thick paste is formed and the flour has lost its “raw” taste, about 5 minutes.  Whisk in chicken stock and buttermilk and bring to a boil then immediately lower to a simmer.  Whisk in cream and allow to simmer 10 minutes.  Season to taste with sea salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.

Combine 1/2 cup flour, paprika and dry spices in a bowl or on a plate large enough to hold the pounded venison.  Crack the egg into another bowl and whisk with 1/3 cup milk.

Dredge the venison in flour, shake of the excess then dip into the egg wash.  Hold over the bowl to drain for a moment, then dredge in the flour a second time.  Transfer the breaded venison to a plate and allow to stand 10 minutes.

Cook the bacon in a heavy skillet until crisp then add the sage leaves and fry about 1 minute.  Transfer bacon and sage to the side to drain for a moment, then chop coarsely and keep warm.

Add enough tallow to the pan so the the melted volume is about 1/4 inch thick and heat to about 350 degrees.   Carefully lay the breaded venison in the pan and shallow fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes on each side.  Transfer to the side to drain for a moment, then position on a dinner plate.  Spoon gravy over the top, dress with bacon and sage and serve immediately.

The primary diet of axis deer is grass, and they will graze on new weeds and forbs.  When grass is not in sufficient quantity, they may browse.  Axis graze successfully on native Texas grasses such as curly-mesquite, Indian-grass, side oats grama, big and little bluestem.  They do well on improved grasses, such as Klein.  Seasonally, they do well on winter wheat.  Browse species include live oak and hackberry.  Mast includes acorns and mushrooms.

This post is part of Real Food Wednesday!

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Pan-Seared Elk Medallions with Herb-Infused, Crushed Chipotle Demi-Glace

/ Ren

The elk is one of the largest species of deer in the world and one of the largest mammals in North America. Ranging in forest and forest-edge habitat, elk are ruminants, feeding on grasses, bark, forbs and tree sprouts.  High in protein and low in fat, this animal was wild-harvested deep in the Texas hill country..

Pan-Seared Elk Medallions with Herb-Infused, Crushed Chipotle Demi-Glace

Allow one 5-7oz portion per person, depending on accompaniments

Medallions of wild elk loin, cut about 1 inch-thick
coarse sea salt
freshly-ground black pepper
1 tablespoon of tallow

Season elk medallions on all sides with salt and pepper, wrap loosely in butchers’ paper and refrigerate 4-6 hours or overnight.
Remove from refrigerator, blot dry and allow to stand 30 minutes at room temperature. Pan-sear with a little tallow or grill over a wood fire until just medium-rare, then allow to rest 10 minutes before serving over chipotle demi-glace.

Crushed Chipotle Demi-Glace, Home Version (adapted from Saveur)

1/4 lb. uncured bacon, finely chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup sprouted wheat, spelt or rye flour
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2-1/2 quarts beef or game stock, divided
1/4 cup good sherry (not cooking wine)
10 sprigs fresh parsley
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 leaves fresh sage
2 chiles chipotle en adobo, crushed
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Render bacon in a large, heavy skillet over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes. Add onions and carrots and cook until somewhat softened, about 8 minutes. Use a sifter to sprinkle flour over the vegetables and cook another 10 minutes. Add sherry, herbs and 8 cups of stock and simmer uncovered until reduced in volume by three-quarters, about 2-1/2 to 3 hours.

Strain sauce, discarding solids. Return to pan with chiles chipotle en adobo and remaining stock and simmer until reduced by half, about 2 hours. Demi-glace may be kept in the refrigerator for up to one week.

This post is part of Real Food Wednesday!

Wood-Fired, Ancho-Rubbed Sirloin with Fried Plantains and Frijoles Charros

/ Ren

Grass-fed sirloin (Bastrop Cattle Co.) is rubbed in a mixture of ancho chilies, fresh garlic, Mexican oregano, comino and piloncillo, then quickly seared over a wood fire.  Served with salt & pepper-fried plantains and home-cooked frijoles charros (cowboy beans)..

Wood-Fired, Ancho-Rubbed Sirloin with Fried Plantains and Frijoles Charros


For the Rub (adapted from a recipe by Rick Bayless)

2 cloves garlic, peeled
3-4 ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
1 tablespoon piloncillo
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon half-sharp paprika
2 teaspoons sea salt

Add all ingredients to the bowl of a food processor and pulse into a semi-fine powder.

For the Beans (adapted from a recipe by Rick Bayless)

1 cup dried pinto beans
1 tablespoon leaf lard
1/2 yellow onion
1 small sprig epazote

2 thick slices bacon, diced and fried
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup fire-roasted tomatoes, diced
1/2 fresh poblano pepper, charred and diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

Rinse and pick over dried beans.  Cover with 1 quart of cool, filtered water, lard, onion and epazote.  Bring to a hard boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until tender, about 2 hours, adding the tomatoes and peppers about 30 minutes out.  Stir occasionally and add more water if necessary to keep from drying out.

Add bacon, salt and cilantro during the last 10 minutes of cooking, discarding the epazote before serving.

For the Plantains

1 plantain, very ripe but still firm
1 tablespoon peanut oil or butter
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Heat butter or oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat until shimmering.  Season plantain slices with salt and pepper then fry until golden brown. Set aside to drain.

For the Steaks

1 4oz breakfast sirloin per person
1 1/2 teaspoon spice rub per steak

Pat steak dry, then evenly coat on all sides with spice rub. Grill over a wood fire for about 2 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board and allow to rest 5 minutes before slicing against the grain about 3/8 inch-thick.

This post is part of The Nourishing Gourmet’s Pennywise Platter Thursday!


Pan-seared Venison Loin with Roasted Root Vegetables and Cranberry Port Reduction

/ Ren

The term ‘foodshed’ is similar to the concept of a watershed: while watersheds outline the flow of water supplying a particular area, foodsheds outline the flow of food feeding a particular area. Your foodshed encompasses the farm, your table and everything in between.  –foodroutes.org

Our foodshed, the Edwards Plateau of central Texas, offers an amazing abundance of food from deer, rabbit and feral hog to freshwater crayfish, bass and catfish and every manner of fruit and vegetable.

This local dish features whitetail deer, smoked bacon, sage, cranberries, sweet potatoes, parsnips and green garlic..

Pan-seared Venison Loin with Roasted Root Vegetables and Cranberry Port Reduction

For the Reduction

1/2 cup fresh  cranberries, rinsed and picked over
1/3 cup filtered water
1 teaspoon clarified butter
1 teaspoon freshly-squeezed Mayer lemon juice
1 teaspoon more-or-less guajillo honey
1 teaspoon shallot, minced
1 tablespoon port wine
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Heat butter in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat.  Add shallots and sauté until softened, about 2 minutes.  Add cranberries and water and simmer until cranberries pop and begin to soften.  Add port wine and simmer until reduced in volume by about half. Stir in lemon, season to taste with salt and pepper and add just enough honey to smooth out the tartness (the sauce should be balanced rather than sweet).  Keep warm.

For the Vegetables

A seasonal variety of root vegetables, perhaps including sweet potatoes, green garlic, carrots and parsnips, cut in smallish pieces
1 teaspoon pastured butter, melted
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Toss vegetables in melted butter and season with salt and pepper.  Roast in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes, then remove and set aside.  Vegetables will be underdone at this point.

For the Venison (serves 2)

12 oz fresh, unsliced venison loin (backstrap)
2 pieces applewood-smoked bacon, diced
1 1/2 teaspoons sage, crumbled
1 tablespoon pastured butter
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Fry bacon in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat until crisp and all the fat has rendered.  Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon and sage to a side dish, leaving the hot bacon fat behind.  Rinse the venison, pat dry and season with salt and pepper.  Increase heat to medium and add butter to bacon fat fat.  Once shimmering, add the venison and sear until well browned, about 3 minutes per side.  Add par-roasted vegetables to the pan and place in a 400 degree oven until the venison is about 125-130 degrees at the thickest part (use a thermometer).  Remove from oven and allow to stand at least 5 minutes.

To serve, spoon cranberry reduction onto the center of a serving plate.  Slice venison into 3/4 inch-thick medallions and arrange around the plate along with roasted vegetables.  Garnish with crumbled bacon and sage and dress with a spoonful of pan juices.  Offer coarse salt on the side.

Portuguese Linguiça and Fava Bean Stew

/ Ren

Linguiça is a meaty-flavored, brined and lightly-smoked Portuguese sausage made with pork butt, oregano, and paprika.  Reminiscent of feijoada or a small cassoulet, it is combined here with uncured, smoked bacon, garlic sausage, onions and fava beans and simmered with tomatoes, cumin, cinnamon and nutmeg..

Portuguese Linguiça and Fava Bean Stew

Serves 2

2 cups homemade chicken or vegetable stock
1 large link Portuguese linguiça, sliced
1/4 cup garlic sausage, diced
2 slices uncured, smoked bacon, diced
1/2 Spanish onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry fava beans, blanched and peeled (use fresh when in season)
1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 4″ stick of cinnamon
1 whole nutmeg seed, abraded
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 cup celery, diced
1 Roma tomato, diced
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped celery leaves
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Fry bacon until nearly crisp.  Add onions, linguiça, garlic sausage and cumin and sauté until very well browned.  Pour off grease and transfer meat to a strainer and allow to drain thoroughly.  De-glaze pan with a little stock, scraping up all the brown bits with the back of a wooden spoon.

Add cinnamon, garlic, nutmeg, celery and the rest of the stock, reduce heat and simmer until beans are nearly tender, about 45 minutes.

Remove cinnamon and nutmeg and add the meat, tomatoes and tomato paste, celery leaves and parsley and simmer 5 minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper, then ladle into bowls.  Drizzle a little good olive oil over the top and serve hot.