Venison Denver Leg

SAVORY

Jan 30

Braised Shallots, Red Cabbage, and Sauce Perigourdine

Chef Ryan Ratino of Bresca | Washington, D.C.

Featured Wine Pairing: Nebbiolo, Bruna Grimaldi, “Badarina,” Barolo, Italy, 2013
“I am a firm believer of classics, and Barolo with venison and truffle is no exception to that. The wine itself is velvet in texture with a beautiful bouquet of dried red fruit, leather, cocoa, truffle, and a subtle floral component. Bruna Grimaldi is a traditional family-run winery that has been producing quality wine since the early ‘60s. Bruna, matriarch of the Grimaldi family, is now joined by her son, Simone, in the endeavor to produce terroir-driven wines. This bottling also shows a lovely acidity to compliment the braised shallots and cabbage purée, while the silken tannins can hold up to the cut of venison.” - Sommelier Andrew Elder, Bresca

INGREDIENTS:

Red Cabbage Purée:
Yield: 1 to 1 ½ pints
4 ounces butter
1 head red cabbage, thinly sliced
1 white onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 tart red apple, such as Pink Lady or Honeycrisp, thinly sliced
½ russet potato, peeled and thinly sliced, held in water until needed
1 ounce picked and finely chopped thyme
3 tablespoons salt
1 ½ cups sugar
25 fluid ounces dry red wine

Braised Shallots:
Yield: 6 servings
25 fluid ounces Port or off-dry red wine
1 ounce thyme
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
4 ounces butter
6 shallots, peeled, halved, and attached by the root

Sauce Perigourdine:
Yield: 12 ounces
3 ounces beef fat
4 shallots, roughly chopped, plus 1 cup finely minced shallots
1 head garlic, roughly chopped
4 ounces thyme
6 bay leaves
2 tablespoons kosher salt
½ cup sugar
1 cup dried cherries
1 cup dried shiitake mushrooms
25 fluid ounces dry red wine
3 to 4 quarts roasted beef or veal stock
1 cup finely minced shallots
4 ounces butter, cold
1 ounce grated Périgord black truffle or preserved truffle condiment

Venison Strip Loin:
Yield: 6 servings
1 Cervena venison Denver leg, silverskin and fat removed
Kosher salt
Neutral oil
4 ounces butter
1 ounce thyme
1 clove garlic

To Assemble and Serve:
Chives
Salt

METHOD:

For the Red Cabbage Purée:
In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Add cabbage, onion, garlic, apple, potato, thyme, salt, and sugar. Using a wooden spoon, stir and gently cook until all the vegetables are soft and translucent, with no liquid remaining. Deglaze with wine. Cook down until wine is 80 to 90 percent reduced and has a syrupy consistency. Remove from heat. Transfer braised cabbage and all remaining braising liquid to a Vitamix blender. Blend until smooth. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the sides of the blender to ensure the braised cabbage is blended and incorporated. Pass the purée through a fine mesh sieve. Reserve.

For the Braised Shallots:
In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine Port, thyme, sugar, and salt. Reduce by half or until a syrupy consistency. Strain and let cool. Heat the water bath of an immersion circulator to 185°F. In a vacuum bag, add Port reduction, 2 ounces butter, and shallots, laid flat. Seal. Cook sous vide 1 hour and 30 minutes. Remove bag from heat and let cool. Transfer shallots and red wine reduction to a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until warmed through. Add remaining butter and gently stir to emulsify. Remove from heat and reserve.

For the Sauce Perigourdine:
Heat a large pot over medium-high flame. Add beef fat and melt. Add chopped shallots, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, and salt. Using a wooden spoon, stir and scrape the bottom of the pan until vegetables are well-caramelized. Add sugar, cherries, and mushrooms. Stir and scrape until sugar melts and lightly caramelizes. Deglaze with red wine. Reduce wine by 80 percent or until lightly syrupy. Add stock and reduce until nappe. Adjust seasoning as needed. Strain the sauce through a fine mesh sieve into a medium-sized pot, using a wooden spoon to press all the liquid out of the vegetables. In a separate medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, add 1 to 2 ounces butter. Add minced shallots and truffle and sweat until soft and translucent. Add shallots and truffle to the strained sauce. Add remaining butter and stir to emulsify. Adjust seasoning as needed. Reserve.

For the Venison Strip Loin:
Pat venison dry with a paper towel and season with salt. Heat a heavy-bottom pan over medium-high flame. Coat pan with oil. Add venison and sear on all sides. Add butter, thyme, and garlic and baste 3 to 5 minutes. Continue cooking venison until internal temperature reaches 135°F. Remove venison from heat and allow to rest 8 to 10 minutes.

To Assemble and Serve:
Slice a 4-ounce portion of Venison Strip Loin in half. Place both halves, cut-side up, on a serving plate at the 3 o'clock position. Place a 1-ounce spoonful of Red Cabbage Purée in both the 7 and 9 o’clock positions. Place 1 Braised Shallot at 8 o’clock and another at 10 o’clock then garnish with chives and salt. Using a spoon, place 1 to 1.5 ounces Sauce Perigourdine in the middle of the plate, directly in between the Venison Strip Loin, Braised Shallots, and Red Cabbage Purée.

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