Medallions of Venison with Truffled Potatoes
Rich herbed red wine sauce accents venison medallions which have been marinated overnight. They are served with fried truffled potato puffs, an accompaniment which could also be served with other main dishes. If you prefer, you may change the potatoes to Cheese Potatoes by substituting 1/4 cup freshly grated Swiss cheese for the truffles.
Ingredients
- Marinade
- Full-bodied Red Wine - 1 bottle
- Celery - 1 stalk, roughly chopped
- Leek - 1, roughly chopped
- Onion - 1, roughly chopped
- Carrot - 1, roughly chopped
- Garlic Cloves - 2
- Bay Leaves - 2
- Sprig of parsley
- Pinch of thyme
- Juniper berries - 3 to 4, (optional)
- Oil - 1 tablespoon
- Red Wine Vinegar - 1 ounce
- Tenderloins of Venison - 2, approximately 1 pound each
- Truffled Potatoes
- Idaho potatoes - 1 pound
- Pâte a Choux - 1 cup, (cream puff pastry; recipe below)
- Truffles - 2 whole, diced
- To Finish
- Oil - 2 tablespoons
- Unsalted Butter - 3 ounces (6 tablespoons)
- Shallots - 1/2 teaspoon, chopped
- Dash of cognac
- Veal Demi-Glace - 1/4 cup
- Red Currant Jelly - 1 teaspoon (or to taste)
- Heavy (whipping) cream - 1/4 cup
- Salt and coarsely ground black pepper to taste
- Pâte a Choux
- Milk - 1 cup
- Unsalted Butter - 3 ounces (6 tablespoons)
- Pinch of salt
- Flour - 1 cup
- Eggs - 4 to 5, depending on size
Instructions
To prepare the venison: Combine all ingredients in a non-aluminum pan or a plastic bag. Add the tenderloins and turn to coat. Cover the pan with plastic wrap or, if using a plastic bag, press out the air and seal. Marinate for 24 hours in the refrigerator.
To prepare the potatoes: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Peel the potatoes. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add the potatoes, and cook until tender, 15 to 18 minutes, depending on size. Drain, then mash; you should have 2 cups of mashed potatoes. Dry the potatoes in the oven for 5 minutes to remove moisture. Remove from oven; add pâte a choux and mix together. Stir in the truffles. Set aside.
To finish the venison and sauce: Remove the tenderloins from the marinade and, cutting slightly on the bias, slice 8 medallions, each approximately 1-inch thick. Strain and reserve 1-1/2 cups of the marinade. Pat the medallions dry with paper towels. Season all sides with salt and pepper. Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large saute pan or skillet over medium-high heat and saute the medallions to desired degree of doneness, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from the pan, drain, and set aside, keeping them warm.
Drain the fat from the saute pan. Add the remaining butter and the shallots; saute until the shallots are translucent. Add the cognac and cook, stirring up the browned bits from the bottom. Add the reserved marinade and cook about 10 minutes, until reduced one-half in volume. Stir in the demi-glace. Taste and sweeten with the red currant jelly. Add the cream and reduce the heat to medium; cook until the sauce thickens to desired consistency. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
To finish the potatoes: Heat the oil to 360 F in a deep-fat fryer or deep saucepan. Drop large spoonfuls of the potato mixture into the hot oil and fry 3 to 4 minutes, until golden brown and puffed.
To serve: Place 2 medallions on each plate. Strain the sauce and spoon it over the medallions. Place puffs of truffled mashed potato beside the medallions.
Pâte a Choux
Bring the milk, butter, and salt to a boil. Add the flour all at once and mix vigorously with a wooden spoon until the paste becomes dry and pulls away from the side of the pan. Remove from heat and beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, mixing until incorporated and smooth. Proceed with recipe above.
