Stir-fried Venison with Prunes

From An Introduction to Venison Cuisine by John Cornish
Published by Firstlight Foods
Contact: 309 Nottingley Road, Hastings

You can buy venison already sliced as stir fry or you can use any of the haunch cuts or better quality shoulder cuts. This dish is a great companion to a heavy type of pasta.

Ingredients

• 300g of finely sliced venison no thicker than 5mm
• 100g prunes
• 100g thinly sliced onion.
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 100ml dry cider or dry white wine
• 100ml fresh cream
• 1 tsp green Peppercorns crushed
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp butter
• salt

Method

Soak the prunes in the cider, preferably overnight.

Remove them from the cider, and dry on paper towels.

Heat a little of the oil and butter in a heavy fry pan and pan fry the prunes then remove and keep warm. Add a little more of the oil and butter to the pan, quickly stir fry the onions then remove to a dish, and set aside.

Add the last of the oil and butter and increase the heat of your pan to very hot.

Stir-fry your venison as quickly as possible for no more than one minute.

Remove and add to the onion. Quickly add the cider marinade to your pan and reduce until almost syrupy, now add the cream and blend. When it is a sauce consistency, add any juices from the meat and onion dish.

Add the venison, stir to combine, add the crushed peppercorns and fresh thyme check the seasoning and add salt to taste. Serve garnished with the prunes.

Suggested wines to complement this recipe

Menhir Quota 29 Salento Primitivo 2005