Venison with Bordelaise sauce

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Pan-seared venison with blackberry-infused Bordelaise sauce 

Served over a fennel mirepoix cowpea cake and peach vinaigrette–dressed dandelion greens, with honeyed goat cheese and candied figs.

Farm-raised venison is seasoned simply and seared until tender and juicy. It lies over a fennel mirepoix cowpea cake, providing a light crunch and smooth texture. Traditionally rich Bordelaise sauce is infused with fresh blackberry to give it a burst of robust sweetness. The peach vinaigrette perfectly balances earthy dandelion greens, while the honeyed goat cheese and candied figs provide a sweet, tangy finish to this flavorful dish.

Prep time: 45 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 portions

Cowpea cakes

• 4 cups boiling water
• 10 ounces cowpeas (frozen)
• ½ cup fresh fennel, diced
• ½ cup onion, diced
• ¼ cup carrot, diced
• ¼ cup celery, diced
• ½ teaspoon canola oil
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme, cleaned and chopped
• 1 tablespoon white wine
• ⅛ cup low-sodium vegetable broth
• ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup rice flour
• 2 eggs, whisked to break up yolks
• 1 cup breadcrumbs

1. Add cowpeas to boiling water and simmer for 30 minutes, or until peas are tender. Strain and set aside.
2. Add half the oil to pan and sauté fennel, onion, carrot and celery until tender. Set aside.
3. Combine the cowpeas, vegetables, thyme, wine, vegetable broth, salt and pepper. Mix until thoroughly combined.
4. Form into 6 uniform cakes.
5. Coat each cake with flour, transfer to egg wash, then coat with breadcrumbs.
6. Preheat the remaining oil and sauté the cakes until golden brown. Keep warm until serving.

Venison flank steak

• 1 21-ounce venison flank steak 
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• Mystery ingredient! 3 tamarind pods

1. Season the steak with salt and pepper.
2. Remove outer pod from tamarind and simmer the pulp in water for 30 minutes to soften. 
3. Push pulp through a fine strainer to remove fibers and seeds, making a paste.
4. Brush tamarind paste on venison steak.
5. Preheat oil in pan and sauté flank steak until rare. Set aside to rest to serve at medium-rare doneness.
6. Thinly slice steak and serve in 3.5-ounce portions.

Peach vinaigrette

• 6 ounces frozen peaches, thawed
• ⅛ cup white wine vinegar
• ¼ cup + 1 teaspoon canola oil
• ½ teaspoon shallot, minced
• ½ teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
• ½ tablespoon honey
• ¹⁄₁₆ teaspoon salt

1. Put the thawed peaches in a blender and blend almost smooth. Remove from blender and set aside.
2. Preheat 1 teaspoon of oil in a sauté pan and sauté shallot until tender.
3. Combine the vinegar, shallots, thyme, honey and salt and mix thoroughly.
4. Slowly drizzle in the remaining oil for the vinaigrette. Fold in peach puree.
5. Keep cool until service.

Blackberry-infused Bordelaise sauce

• 2 cups red wine (such as Bordeaux or cabernet)
• 1 shallot, minced
• 10 ounces fresh blackberries
• 10 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, cubed

1. Heat red wine, thyme, blackberries and shallots in a sauté pan. Reduce until about ¼ cup of liquid remains.
2. Add beef broth and continue to simmer for about 10 minutes.
3. Strain sauce, return to pan, add brown sugar and return to a gentle simmer.
4. Add butter and whisk sauce until it reaches nappé consistency.*

*Nappé means “coated” in French. Dip a spoon in the sauce, then run your finger straight down the back of it. If there’s a clean line on the spoon, the sauce is nappé. If the line fades, the sauce is too thin — heat it longer to thicken more.

Dandelion greens salad

• ½ bunch fresh dandelion greens
• 2 ounces goat cheese
• 1 teaspoon honey 
• ¹⁄₁₆ teaspoon black pepper

1. Thoroughly wash greens and slice in a chiffonade cut (long, thin strips).
2. Mix goat cheese, honey, and pepper and roll into uniform, pea-sized balls. Chill until serving.
3. Place greens in a bowl and toss with peach vinaigrette just before serving.
4. Sprinkle ⅓ ounce of goat cheese on top of greens when plating.

Candied fig (garnish)

• 5 fresh figs, sliced
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1. Thinly slice figs and lay on a sheet tray.
2. Lightly sprinkle with sugar and torch until sugar is caramelized
3. Serve immediately.

Assembling the plate

1. Brush sauce down the center of the plate.
2. Place cowpea cake in the center of the plate.
3. Fan sliced venison around the left side of the cake.
4. Twirl the dressed dandelion greens and place on top of the venison.
5. Sprinkle 3 goat cheese balls in the greens.
6. Arrange 3 candied figs on top of the greens
7. Garnish with 3 increasing-sized circles of the Bordelaise sauce.
8. Enjoy!