Pan-Seared Venison Loin with Blueberries, Shallots and Red Wine
- 1 small handful of fresh thyme, leaves picked
- 5 dried juniper berries
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 x 800g/1 3/4 lb venison loin, trimmed
- 4 shallots, peeled and finely sliced
- 1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely sliced
- 1 glass of robust red wine
- 200g/7oz fresh blueberries
- 2 large knobs of butter
- Bash up the thyme and juniper berries in a pestle and mortar with a really good pinch of salt and pepper.
- If you havent got a pestle and mortar, use the end of a rolling pin and a metal bowl.
- Loosen with 3 good lugs of olive oil.
- Pat the venison dry with some kitchen paper (paper towels), and rub the oil mixture all over it.
- Sear the meat in a hot pan on all sides turning it every minute roughly 6 minutes for medium rare, 7-8 minutes for medium, and youd have to be a nutter if you wanted to cook it for any longer than that!
- Depending on the thickness of the meat and the heat of the pan, it may need a little less or more time to cook so dont look at the clock, look at the meat.
- This is the time when you want to try to be instinctive with your meat.
- Remove it from the pan when its cooked to your liking and allow it to rest on a plate for 4 minutes, covered with tinfoil.
- Reduce the heat under the pan and add a good lug of oil.
- Add the shallots and the garlic and fry gently for around 3 minutes until translucent and tender.
- Turn up the heat again, add the wine, and let it reduce by half.
- Add the blueberries and simmer slowly for 4 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat, add the butter, and jiggle and shake the pan around so the sauce goes slightly opaque and shiny.
- Season to taste.
- Slice the venison into 2cm/3/4-inch slices and serve with steamed purple sprouting broccoli or some other good greens.
- Add the meats resting juices to the sauce and spoon over the venison.
- Absolutely fantastic.
handful of fresh thyme, berries, salt, extra virgin olive oil, loin, shallots, clove of garlic, glass, fresh blueberries, butter
Taken from www.cookstr.com/recipes/pan-seared-venison-loin-with-blueberries-shallots-and-red-wine (may not work)