Title: VENISON STEAKS WITH CHESTNUTS & FIGS
Categories: Game
Yield: 4 servings
Stephen Ceideburg
1/2 tb Butter
Black pepper
50 g Chopped green onions
200 ml Port wine
300 ml Stock
24 Peeled chestnuts
1 tb Butter
8 Venison medallions
4 Figs
By rights, this dish requires lengthy preparation of a
stock made with the bones and trimmings of venison.
However, this is impossible for most of us who buy
venison as a boneless fillet.
A good beef stock is a satisfactory substitute and if
you use a canned beef bouillon (Campbells makes one)
and prepare the chestnuts in advance, the meal can be
prepared very rapidly.
Melt half a tablespoon of butter in a heavy saucepan,
add a good grinding of black pepper and gently cook 50
g chopped green (spring) onions. Add 200 mL port and
reduce. Add 300 mL stock and 24 peeled chestnuts and
simmer for about 20 minutes or until the sauce becomes
syrupy. Set aside and keep warm.
Heat a heat a heavy-based frying pan, add a tablespoon
of butter. When it is very hot, cook 8 medallions of
venison, each about 1 cm thick.
Sear them for a maximum of 1 minute on each side, to
ensure they are still rare.
Meanwhile, butter a baking tray and slice onto it 4
figs. Place under a grill to heat through.
Divide the sauce and chestnuts between four heated
plates and add to each plate 2 medallions of venison
and a fan of fig slices. Serve immediately.
Posted by Stephen Ceideburg
From an article by Meryl Constance in The Sydney
Morning Herald, 5/4/93. Courtesy Mark Herron.
