Saddle of Venison
Venison steaks, scented with thyme and rosemary, are served with butter-fried slip noodles. Chef Christian Golles’ entree includes two hard-to-find items for U.S. Cooks — birdberries, and black walnut slices. Both add sharp, bitter notes to the dish. Birdberries are soaked in water for 4 days, then cooked with sugar syrup and apple; the black walnut slices are soaked in water for 2 weeks, then marinated in sugar syrup. Cranberries, elderberries, and currants are a passing substitute for birdberries; there’s really nothing quite like the walnuts. In any event, the venison and slip noodles are a wonderful dish on their own. The “slip” noodles are named for the way they are made, rolled between your palm and a floured work surface.
Ingredients
- Slip Noodles
- Potatoes - 3 to 4 whole, still warm
- Egg yolks - 4
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Flour - 1-1/2 cups
- Venison
- Saddle of Venison - 1, trimmed to make eight 1-inch-thick medallions
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Virgin olive oil - 1/4 cup
- Unsalted Butter - 2 tablespoons
- Thyme Sprigs - 5
- Rosemary Sprigs - 3
- Butter - 1/2 cup, melted
- Garnish
- Birdberry, Cranberry, or similar berry compote - 2 cups
- Black Walnuts - 8 slices, glazed
Instructions
To prepare the noodles: Peel and rice the potatoes. Mound them on a lightly floured work surface and make an indentation in the center; put the egg yolks in the crater. Work the egg yolks into the potatoes gently with your fingers, then begin adding flour, 1/2 cup at first. Add the melted butter, then more flour, 1/4 cup at a time, working the dough just until it comes together and forms a ball. Cut in half. You will save half for another use, and use half. Wrap one half in plastic wrap, then in foil, and freeze for up to a month before thawing and using. Let the other half rest for 10 minutes.
Pinch off one fourth of the dough and roll into a log about 1-1/4 inches in diameter. Cut the log into 1-inch chunks. Lightly dust flour on a work surface and place one of the dough chunks on the surface. With your hand flat, roll out the piece into a 4- to 5-inch noodle, pointed on both ends and thicker in the center. Set aside and repeat with all of the log, then with the remaining dough. Make a total of 24 slip noodles.
To prepare the venison: Preheat the oven to 425 F. Season the medallions with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat and sear the medallions on both sides until lightly browned, about 30 seconds per side. Take the pan off the heat and add the butter. Lay the sprigs of thyme and rosemary over the medallions and place in the preheated oven for 5 minutes, until rare.
To finish the noodles: Melt the half of butter in a skillet over medium-high heat and add 12 slip noodles. Saute until lightly browned; remove and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining butter and 12 more slip noodles.
To serve: Place 2 venison medallions on each warmed serving plate. Place three pairs of crossed slip noodles around each plate. Put a spoonful of berry compote beside the medallions. If you have them, place a walnut slice on top of each medallion. Spoon pan juices over the meat and around the plates.
