Venison Medallions Grand Veneur With Braised Fennel With Pernod

Grand Veneur has the meaning of great hunter or great forest man or hunter. This is a recipe for the best of the venison meat. It consists of the loin on venison. It is the most tender part of any meat on any type of game. I know most people do not like the taste of deer meat or venison. I however have change my thoughts on the matter after I had this dish. It does have a different flavor than beef and it is not as mild as elk in flavor, but it has a taste that will compliment all of the components in this dish.

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The step that will take the longest is getting the braised fennel ready so I suggest starting this first.

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Items you will need for the Braised Fennel with Pernod:

1 Each Fennel Bulb

2 Tablespoons of white wine

1 Teaspoon of sugar

1 Tablespoon of canola oil

2 CUps of chicken stock

1 Tablespoon of Pernod

First you will cut the top off of the fennel and save the bottom half and about 3 inches of the lower part of the stem. You will saute the fennel to get some color but not too much. You will then deglaze the pan with the white wine, and then you will add your chicken stock, sugar, and the pernod and cover with a lid and cook until done. It needs to be tender.

Items you will need for the Venison Medallions:

1 6 ounce loin, 2 each 3 ounce portions

Salt and Pepper To Taste

1 Ounce of butter

1 Ounce of white wine

6 ounces of Sauce Poivrade. You will make this after you saute the venison medallions. The instructions are below.

2 Teaspoons of red currant jelly

1 Ounce of Heavy Cream

First thing you will do is add salt and pepper to the vennison medalions. You will take a small saute pan, heat the pan, add a small amount of canola oil, and pan sear the full venison loin to a medium rare. You rill remove from the pan and cover them and hold in a warm place but do not continue to cook the venison loin.

Ingredients for the Sauce Poivrade:

1/2 Ounce of carrots chopped

1/2 Ounce of celery chopped

2 Ounces of onion Chopped

1/2 Ounce to 1 ounce of canola oil

1 Bay leaf, 1 thyme sprig and 1 parsley stem

4 Ounces of vinegar

1 Ounce of white wine

1 Cup of demi glace, you can pick this up at Whole Foods Market

1 Teaspoon of crushed peppercorns

1 Tablespoon of butter

You will add your wine and vinegar to the pan you just sauteed the venison loin in. This will deglaze the pan and get all of the extra flavor from the fond on the bottom of the saute pan. You will take the mirepoix which consists of the carrots, celery and onion, and the thyme and the bay leaf and the peppercorns and add them at this time. You will now add the demi glace, heavy cream, and red currant jelly and reduce. When it has reduced by half you will remove from the heat and add the butter and swirl until melted. You need to plate at this time.

You will take the fennel from the pan and place it on the place. You will then take your venison loin and cut it into 1/2 inch medallions on a bias cut and add them to the plate for presentation. You should have a strainer handy to strain your sauce reduction, and add some of the sauce across your venison medallions. It is now time to eat!

Venison Medallions Grand Veneur With Braised Fennel With Pernod

Chef Shelley Pogue, a Cum Laude, Le Cordon Blue graduate and Executive Research and Development Chef, for Vertical Sales and Marketing, San Ramon, CA. Shelley is also the desserts editor for BellaOnline.com.

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