Medallions Of Venison With Cranberry-Port Sauce
This delicious recipe features tender venison tenderloin marinated in a flavorful blend of cranberry juice, red wine vinegar, and herbs. The meat is pan-seared to perfection and then served with a rich, fruity sauce made from the marinade reduction, cranberries, and a touch of butter. A perfect dish for a special occasion or a cozy dinner at home.
— Constant Cookbook
Ingredients
- 4 tsp. canola oil
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 large shallot, chopped
- 1 small carrot, peeled and sliced
- 1 can (15 oz.) low-sodium, fat-free beef broth
- 1/2 cup cranberry juice
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
- 2 plum tomatoes, chopped
- 6 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs
- 3 cardamom pods, crushed
- 2 tsp. dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 1/4 lb. venison tenderloin
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/3 cup ruby port
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 2 Tbs. cold unsalted butter
Instructions
- In a saucepan over medium-high heat, warm 2 tsp. of the canola oil. Add the garlic, shallot and carrot and sauté until the shallot starts to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the broth, cranberry juice, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, tomatoes, parsley, cardamom, thyme and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and boil gently for 10 minutes. Let the marinade cool to room temperature.
- Cut the venison crosswise into slices 1 inch thick. Place in a nonreactive bowl and pour in the cooled marinade, including the vegetables, herbs and spices. Cover and marinate the meat in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
- When you are ready to cook the venison, place the cranberries in a bowl. Add the port and set aside until the fruit is plump, 20 to 30 minutes.
- Set a sieve over a large bowl. Drain the meat into the sieve. Using tongs, remove the venison from the other solids, place it on a plate, cover and set aside. Using the back of a wooden spoon, press against the solids to extract as much of their juices as possible. Discard the solids. Reserve the liquid. Pat the meat dry with paper towels.
- Preheat an oven to 200°F. In a large fry pan over medium-high heat, warm the remaining 2 tsp. canola oil. Arrange the meat in the pan in a single layer, leaving 1 inch between the pieces. (If you do not have a pan large enough, cook the meat in 2 batches.) Cook the venison, turning once, until browned on both sides, 10 to 12 minutes total. The venison should be pink in the center. Transfer the meat to a plate, tent loosely with aluminum foil and set it in the warm oven.
- Pour the reserved marinade into the pan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up all the browned bits from the pan bottom. Boil until the liquid is reduced by one-third, about 10 minutes. Using a large, shallow spoon, skim off any foam that forms on the surface. Add the cranberries and any remaining port and cook until the liquid is reduced by one-fourth, about 5 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper. Remove from the heat. Cut the butter into 8 equal pieces. Add the butter to the liquid and whisk until melted and blended into the sauce, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Divide the meat among warmed individual plates. Spoon an equal amount of the sauce over each serving, dividing the cranberries evenly as well. Serve immediately. Serves 4.
- Adapted from Williams-Sonoma, <i>Essentials of Healthful Cooking</i>, by Mary Abbott Hess, Dana Jacobi &amp; Marie Simmons (Oxmoor House, 2003).
Yield
Serves 4.
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