Nature’s Harvest

Hunting season is upon us and this means a freezer full of meat. It is time for a new twist with your culinary expertise. All of the hunter’s efforts are rewarded when the meat, now a gourmet delicacy, is placed on the table in front of the whole family.

This is nature’s harvest, a true triumph of man versus beast, all celebrated with flashing forks and knives, stories and laughter and a full stomach. Reward your hunter this season with something really over the top. How about a candle-lit table graced with a venison filet with blackberry brandy sauce, Parisian potatoes and roasted broccoli with carrots? Finish this rich menu up with a refreshingly beautiful raspberry sorbet. Now, that takes hunting to a whole new level!

– Chef John Strand

Venison Filet with Blackberry Brandy Sauce

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

2 tablespoons shallot, minced

1 teaspoon minced garlic

3 tablespoons blackberry fruit spread

1/2 cup brandy

1 cup beef stock

3 tablespoon cold butter salt and ground black pepper to taste

4 (1/2 pound) venison steaks (back strap)

All-purpose flour for dusting

12 fresh blackberries

Heat the shallots, garlic, blackberry fruit spread and brandy in a saucepan over mediumhigh heat. Simmer until reduced to 1/2 cup of liquid, about 15 minutes. Strain liquid through a fine mesh sieve and set aside. Heat the beef broth in a separate skillet over medium-high heat until reduced by half, 15 to 20 minutes. Whisk the two reduced sauces together, and stir 1 tablespoon of the butter into the sauce off the heat. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat the skillet over medium-high heat adding remaining butter. Dust the venison steaks then add to pan and cook until they are golden brown and beginning to firm, and are hot and slightly pink in the center, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Pour sauce over the steaks and cook for 1 more minute. Serve the steaks with the sauce and a few fresh blackberries.

Parisian Potatoes

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

2 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled

4 cups chicken stock

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

2 teaspoons finely chopped tarragon

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Using large end of melon baller cut circular shapes out of the potatoes. You will need about 8 small circles per serving. Place cut potatoes into medium pot and cover with 1 inch of water. Bring stock to a boil over med-high heat and add potatoes. Boil 8 to 10 minutes or until potatoes are just tender. When complete, remove pot from heat and strain potatoes. Let potatoes air dry. Meanwhile, heat a medium sauté pan over medium-low heat. When hot, add oil and potatoes. Cook 6 to 8 minutes, turning potatoes regularly until golden brown. Add butter, tarragon, salt and pepper and cook 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and serve.

Roasted Broccoli and Carrots

MAKES 4-6 SERVINGS

2 heads broccoli, separated into florets

1/2 cup baby carrots

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 clove garlic, minced Juice from

1/2 lemon

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl, toss broccoli florets and carrots with the extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, pepper and garlic. Spread the broccoli and carrots out in an even layer on a baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven until florets are lightly browned and tender enough that stems can be pierced with a fork, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and transfer to a serving platter. Squeeze lemon juice liberally over the broccoli before serving.

Raspberry Sorbet

MAKES 6-8 SERVINGS

4 (6-ounce) containers fresh red raspberries

1/2 cup honey

4 cups water, divided

3/4 cup white sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

Place raspberries in work bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. If an extra smooth sorbet is desired, press pureed raspberries through a fine sieve to remove seeds. Whisk together pureed raspberries and honey in a large bowl. Combine 3 cups of water, sugar and corn syrup in a large saucepan; stir to combine. Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil until sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes; do not stir. Stir the sugar water and the remaining 1 cup of water into the raspberry puree. Make an ice bath by filling a very large bowl with water and ice. Set the bowl of raspberry puree in the ice bath, and whisk until cool. Pour cooled puree into a 9-by-13 baking dish, and cover; freeze until solid, 6 to 8 hours. For a deliciously silky sorbet, transfer frozen puree to a food processor and process until smooth.