Venison Medallions with Creamed Cabbage and Slip Dumplings
Stefan Hierzer
Hotel Imperial
Vienna, Austria

Venison medallions are served with creamed cabbage to which a tiny bit of nutmeg is added, and sauteed dumplings. Trim the venison ahead of time and use the bones and trimmings to make a rich stock, which will then form the basis of your demi-glace. This dish would also work well with lamb.

Serves 4

Cabbage
1 head savoy cabbage
1 small onion
2 slices lean bacon
1 teaspoon flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Slip Dumplings
1/2 pound potatoes, peeled and boiled
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup flour
1-1/2 tablespoons semolina
Salt to taste
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 egg

Venison
2 venison tenderloins, trimmed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup canola oil
8 small cinnamon sticks
2 rosemary sprigs
4 thyme sprigs
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup red wine
1 cup cranberries
1/2 cup raspberries
1/4 cup venison or veal demi-glace

8 rosemary sprigs

To prepare the cabbage: Cut the cabbage into thin slices. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the cabbage; return to a boil and cook 1 minute. Drain the cabbage and plunge it into ice water to stop the cooking; drain well again. Set aside. In a medium saucepan or pot over medium-high heat, saute the onions, flour, and bacon in the butter until the onions are softened and the bacon has rendered its fat, 6 to 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium. Stir in the milk and cream and cook 8 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and fold in the cabbage. Keep warm.

To prepare the slip dumplings: Mash the potatoes with 2 tablespoons of the butter and combine with the flour and semolina in a large bowl. Season with salt and nutmeg. With your hands, mix in the egg to form a pliable dough. Shape by hand into a long roll on a floured cutting board and cut into 3/4-inch-thick pieces. Form each of the pieces into a long stick by rolling between the palm of your hand and the floured board, like working modeling clay.

Bring a large pot of salted water almost to a boil. Add the dumplings and cook 3 minutes, or until they rise to the top. Drain in a colander, immerse in cold water to stop the cooking, and drain again. Dry on a towel. Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat and saute the noodles until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels. Keep warm.

To prepare the venison: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Slice the venison into 2- to 2-1/2-inch thick medallions and season with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat and sear the medallions for 45 seconds, then turn and sear on the other side for 1 minute. Add the cinnamon sticks, rosemary, and thyme and place in the oven. Bake 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the meat from the pan and let rest 3 minutes. Remove the cinnamon sticks from the skillet and set aside.

Put the medallions back in the skillet and saute over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of the butter for about 30 seconds. Remove the medallions and add 1/4 cup of the wine and the cranberries and raspberries to the skillet. Saute until the liquid has reduced to a syrup. Remove from heat, lift out the berries with a slotted spoon, and set aside.

Pour the remaining wine and the demi-glace into the same skillet and place over medium-high heat, stirring to bring up the browned bits. Cook until reduced by two-thirds. Remove from heat and discard the herb sprigs. Whisk in the remaining butter, a little at a time, until the butter is completely incorporated.

To serve: Spoon sauteed berries to one side on each plate, then place a large scoop of creamed cabbage next to the berries. Divide the dumplings among the plates. Arrange venison medallions on the other side of the plates, reserving two medallions. Spoon sauce from the skillet over the venison medallions. Slice the reserved medallions and divide the slices among the plates, arranging them over the venison medallions. Garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs inserted into cinnamon sticks from the sauce pan.

Grilled Marinated Lamb Chops

OnJin Kim
Hanatei Bistro
Honolulu HI

The straightforward flavor of grilled marinated lamb chops is complemented by a rich spicy black bean sauce. Begin a day ahead to allow time for the lamb to marinate. The chops are served on a bed of simple steamed rice.

Serves 4

Black Bean Sauce

• 3/4 cup mirin or sweet sherry
• 1 cup hoisin sauce
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 3 tablespoons Asian sesame oil
• 1/2 cup Chinese fermented black beans, rinsed, drained, and coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 2 tablespoons momiji or other Asian chili paste
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest

• 16 single lamb chops, trimmed of fat
• 2 fennel bulbs, cut and trimmed
• Olive oil for coating
• 4 fresh rosemary sprigs

To make the sauce: In a medium saucepan, combine all the sauce ingredients and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Let cool. Pour 1/2 cup of the sauce into a shallow nonaluminum container and add the lamb. Turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Refrigerate the rest of the sauce in a covered bowl until needed.

Remove the lamb and sauce from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before cooking. Light a fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill or broiler. Barbecue the lamb over a medium-hot fire for 5 to 7 minutes on each side, or until done to taste. At the same time, brush the fennel slices with oil and grill them for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Warm the black bean sauce over low heat for 10 minutes.

To serve: Fill the bottom of each plate with black bean sauce. Arrange 4 chops on top of each. Serve with the fennel and steamed rice. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary.

Oven-roasted Pork and Rabbit
Arista e Coniglio Arrosto al Forno
Francesco Ricchi
Etrusco
Washington D.C.

Pork and rabbit are an excellent combination when infused with garlic and rosemary. However, this dish could also be made with pork alone.

Serves 8

2-1/2 pounds boneless pork loin
Leaves from 4 fresh rosemary sprigs
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 rabbit (about 3 pounds)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups dry red wine

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Trim the pork loin of excess fat, slice it almost in half lengthwise, and set aside. Mince the rosemary and garlic together and sprinkle with salt and pepper. With a sharp knife, make 5 evenly spaced 1-1/2- to 2-inch-deep incisions all around the pork loin. Place 1/2 teaspoon of the garlic-rosemary mixture in each pocket, then add 1/2 teaspoon of butter to each pocket. Sprinkle the inside of the loin with salt, pepper, and half of the rosemary mixture and dot with 2-1/2 tablespoons of the butter. Roll up the loin with the rosemary mixture on the inside, then tie the roast closed with kitchen twine at 1-inch intervals.

Trim the rabbit of any excess fat and place the carcass on its back. Pull each leg away from the body, then use a sharp knife to cut through the meat and the joint to separate the leg from the loin. Locate the breastbone and use a heavy knife to split and remove it. Run your finger down the rabbit´s ribcage to locate the backbone. Use the tip of the knife to scrape each rib bone away from the meat along one side, stopping when you reach the thin skin at the base of the backbone. Repeat with the other side of the rabbit and remove the breastbone.

Season the inside of the rabbit with salt, pepper, and some of the remaining rosemary mixture. Top with 1-1/2 tablespoons of butter and fold the rabbit´s skin like a package. Tie the rabbit using the same method as the pork loin. Make 2 incisions in each of the reserved legs at 1-inch intervals and stuff each one with the remaining herb mixture and 1 teaspoon of butter.

Place the pork and rabbit in a large roasting pan. Drizzle the meats with the olive oil and roast in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, turning the meat regularly to ensure even browning. At this point the pork should register 155 F on an instant-read meat thermometer.

Remove the pan from the oven and place it on the stove over medium-high heat. Add the wine to the pan, stirring to dislodge the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Continue to turn the roasts occasionally while cooking the wine to reduce it by two-thirds to a syrupy consistency. Transfer the meat to a serving platter, slice, and serve with the roasting juices and wine reduction.

Note: The meats may be prepared for roasting up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated, tightly covered. Let the meats sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before roasting.

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Medallions of Lamb with Anchovy-Black Olive Sauce and Artichoke Fritters

Hiro Sone

Terra

St. Helena CA

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From Terra: Cooking from the Heart of the Napa Valley (Ten Speed, 2001)

‚“Anchovy with lamb?‚” Hiro Sone says that´s the response they hear when they put this dish on the menu. So he´s used to explaining that the anchovy here is not a dominant presence, but is used, in the manner of French and Italian cooking, to intensify and add depth to the sauce. With its bold flavors of kalamata olives, white wine, tomato, caper, lemon zest, and, yes, anchovy, this is a lusty sauce that´s a great match for a big cabernet. You can find chickpea flour in health food stores and Indian markets. It makes a light, flavorful batter that gives fried foods a beautiful golden finish. If you don´t want to deep-fry the artichokes, you can simply saute them, or substitute another vegetable. It´s fine to use store-bought tapenade in the sauce.

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Serves 4

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Four 8-ounce lamb loins, trimmed of silverskin

1 tablespoon olive oil

Pinch of chopped fresh rosemary

Pinch of chopped fresh thyme

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Chickpea Batter

1 cup chickpea flour

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Pinch of freshly ground peppr

2/3 to 1 cup hot water

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Anchovy-Black Olive Sauce

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/3 cup dry white wine

1 cup veal stock or brown chicken stock

2 tablespoons tomato puree

Pinch of chopped fresh rosemary

2 teaspoons minced kalamata olives

1/8 teaspoon minced anchovy fillet

1/4 teaspoon minced capers

Pinch of minced lemon zest

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

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Vegetable oil for deep-frying

4 large artichokes, cooked and quartered

1 cup sliced onion

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

16 sugar snap peas, stemmed and blanched

Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

4 fresh rosemary sprigs for garnish

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To marinate the lamb loins: Coat the loins with the olive oil and sprinkle on all sides with the herbs. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.

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To make the batter; Combine all the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Whisk in 2/3 cup hot water until smooth, adding the remaining 1/3 cup water if necessary (the batter will be thick). Set aside.

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To start the sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat the butter and garlic together over high heat and saute the garlic until lightly browned. Add the wine and cook until reduced to 2 tablespoons. Add the stock, tomato puree, and rosemary, and cook until reduced to 2/3 cup. Set aside. –

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To cook the lamb loins: Heat a large grill pan or saute pan over high heat until very hot. Season the lamb with salt and pepper and grill for 2 minutes, then turn at a 45-degree angle on the same side to make cross marks and cook for 1 minute. Turn the loins over and cook 2 to 3 minutes longer for medium-rare. Let rest in a warm place.

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To deep-fry the fritters: Preheat the oven to 250 F. Heat 2 inches of oil in a deep- heavy pot to 350 F. Add the artichokes and onion to the batter. Using a large soon, scoop some of the batter, making sure you get some artichokes and onion in each scoop. Fry for about 3 minutes, or until crisp and golden brown. Using a slotted metal spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain, then transfer to a baking sheet pan and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with the remaining batter.

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Melt the butter in a medium saute pan or skillet over high heat, add the snap peas, and saute for about 1 minute, or until heated through. Season with salt and pepper.

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To serve: Finish the sauce: heat the sauce and then whisk in the olives, anchovy, capers, and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper (it won´t need much salt, since the olives and anchovy are salty). Put 1/2 cup of mashed potatoes in the center of each of 4 warmed plates. Put one fourth of the fritters on the upper side of the mashed potatoes. Spoon the sauce on the lower side of the plate, around the potatoes, and arrange the snap peas between the fritters and the sauce. Cut each lamb loin into 5 medallions and place them on the sauce in a semicircle. Garnish with the fresh rosemary sprigs.