Recipe of the Month

by Duane Radford

Bonjour Venison Rib Eye

Rib Eye Venison
● venison rib eye steaks (I used moose steaks)
● 1/2 cup mushrooms (diced)
● 2 tablespoons butter
● 1/2 cup beef stock
● 6 peppercorn berries (crushed)
● 1 tablespoon capers (green peppers) in brine
● 1 tablespoons truffle sauce
● 1/3 cup cream
● sea salt & black pepper
 
Roasted French Potatoes
● 2 potatoes (diced)
● 2 tablespoons canola oil
● salt and pepper
● 1 teaspoon each of marjoram, parsley, tarragon and thyme  

I regard venison as food fit for a king, and enjoy high-end recipes to elevate the culinary experience of eating wild game. This “Bonjour Venison Rib Eye” recipe falls into a culinary delight category. (“Bonjour” is a French greeting and this recipe has a French spin with truffles and cream sauce.)

Rib Eye Venison 
1. Wash the steaks under cold tap water and pat dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.
2. Melt the butter in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the rib eye steaks and sear them for about 3 minutes on each side.
3. Remove the steaks from the skillet and set them aside under an aluminum tent. Place them in an oven to keep warm.
4. Add the beef stock to the skillet and whisk to free browned meat from the bottom of the skillet.
5. Reduce the stock for 3-4 minutes over a medium heat and then add the cream and capers in brine. Stir well.
6. Increase the heat for 3-5 minutes to thicken the sauce.
7. Add the mushrooms and truffle sauce and cook for a few more minutes.
8. Remove the steaks from your oven and slice them into medallions before pouring the sauce with the mushrooms on top of them.

Roasted French Potatoes 
1. Peel the potatoes and dice them into bite size pieces.
2. Put the diced potatoes in a mixing bowl.
3. Add 2 tablespoons of canola oil and toss the potatoes, seasoning them with salt and pepper to taste and the traditional French herbs to give them a French spin and a flavour boost.
4. Line an aluminum baking dish with parchment paper.
5. Put the seasoned potatoes inside the baking dish and bake at 415 F for 45 minutes. Serve hot with the venison rib eye steaks and a garden salad.

In keeping with the French genre of this recipe, I’d recommend a homemade salad dressing featuring the following ingredients: 1-1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar; 2-1/2 teaspoons virgin olive oil; 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 1 teaspoon honey; 1/2 teaspoon savory spice; salt and pepper to taste. Whisk all the ingredients and toss with lettuce.

I’d opt for a full-bodied red wine pairing and an amber or brown ale, or a porter, for a beer pairing. If you want to indulge yourself, enjoy a bottle of Juliénas red wine from Beaujolais region of eastern France or a French beer (most beer sold in France is pilsner lager). Juliénas is named for the Roman leader Julius Caesar.