- Course: Main Course
- Skill Level: Challenging
- Cost: Splurge
- Favorited: 1 Time
Some of the best vension comes from farm-raised Red Deer, which are larger than other deer breeds and related to the American elk. The flavor of vension is less assertive than lamb but more distinctive than beef.
Ingredients
For the venison:
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
- 1 tablespoon juniper berries
- ½ teaspoon whole allspice
- ½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 fresh rosemary sprig
- 6 double-cut venison rib chops, 12 ounces each
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 cups chopped pistachios
For the cabbage:
- 1 small head red cabbage, quartered and cored
- 1 medium red beet
- ½ cup red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup sugar
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 1 bouquet garni (1 dark green leek leaf, 4 fresh thyme sprigs, 2 fresh rosemary sprigs, 1 bay leaf; see Notes)
- ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- ½ cup dry red wine, preferably Cabernet Sauvignon
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Caramelized Quince:
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 quince, peeled, cored, and cut into 6 wedges each
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ cup brandy
For the sauce:
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons finely diced shallots
- ½ teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
- ½ cup dry red wine
- ¼ cup ruby port
- ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
Directions
To season the venison:
Combine the fennel seed, juniper berries, allspice, and peppercorns in a sauté pan over medium heat. Toast the spices until fragrant, about 1 minute, and then transfer to a spice grinder. Add the rosemary and process until finely ground. Season the venison chops evenly with the spice blend. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours. The venison should be at room temperature when you cook it, so remove it from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes prior to cooking.
To prepare the cabbage:
Slice the cabbage into ¼-inch-wide ribbons and place in a large bowl. Peel the beet and grate it on the large holes of a box grater. Add the grated beet, vinegar, and sugar to the cabbage and mix until well combined. Set aside for 30 minutes.
Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large deep sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the marinated cabbage mixture and bouquet garni and cook for 10 minutes. Add the orange juice and wine and simmer until the cabbage is tender and the liquid has reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter.
To caramelize the quince:
Heat the canola oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Combine the quince and sugar in a medium bowl and toss to coat. Immediately add the quince to the pan and sear for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the quince is evenly browned about 2 minutes. Pour out any excess oil.
With the pan off the heat, deglaze with the brandy, being careful as it might flame. Add 1 tablespoon of water and swirl the pan to evenly glaze the quince.
To cook the venison:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Wrap the venison bones with aluminum foil to keep them from burning and season the meat with salt. Hear the oil in a very large ovenproof sauté pan over high heat. Sear the venison until brown on all sides, about 1 minute per side. Roast the venison in the oven until cooked to medium-rare doneness, about 8 minutes. To test for doneness, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest section of the chop. For medium-rare doneness the temperature reading should be 140° to 150°F. Remove the venison from the pan, reserving the pan for later use.
Brush the venison with the honey and roll in the pistachios to coat. Place the venison chops on a platter and tent with aluminum foil to keep warm.
To make the sauce:
Melt the butter in the reserved sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and rosemary and cook until the shallots are tender but not brown, about 2 minutes. Deglaze with the wine and port, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan to incorporate into the sauce, and simmer until the alcohol has evaporated, about 1 minute. Add the orange juice and cook until the sauce begins to thicken, about 2 minutes.
To serve:
Spoon the cabbage onto a large platter. Arrange the venison chops over the cabbage and nestle the caramelized quince next to the venison. Spoon the sauce over and serve immediately.
Notes
Wine suggestion:
Serve this dish with a plumy Merlot that offers flavors red currants, spice, and velvety tannins. Such as Merlot, Bravante, 2005, Howell Mountain, California.
Bouquet Garni:
Bouquet garni are simply bundles of herbs and aromatics wrapped with a 5-inch-long dark green leek leaf and tied together with kitchen string. To make the bouquet, spread the leek leaf open and place the herbs and aromatics in the middle. Fold the leaf tightly around the herbs, then wrap a piece of kitchen string around the leaf multiple times and tie to secure.
© 2010 Laurent Tourondel
Note from Cookstr's Editors
Nutritional information includes 1/8 teaspoon of added salt per serving.




