An emblematic autumn dish, venison fillet served with homemade spätzle embodies all the richness and generosity of seasonal cuisine. The tenderness of the meat, cooked pink, pairs perfectly with an intense, aromatic grand veneur sauce, while the spätzle add a comforting, authentic touch. A characterful recipe, ideal for game lovers, to be enhanced with a glass of Merlot for a deep, harmonious food-and-wine pairing.
Ingredients
Serves 4:
- 800 g venison fillet
- 300 g flour
- 2 eggs
- 2.5 dl milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 onions
- 2 carrots
- 2 shallots
- Thyme
- Bay leaf
- Butter
- Red wine
- Beef stock
- Bacon lardons (optional)
Recipe
- Venison fillet
- Take the fillets out one hour before preparation and let them come to room temperature.
- Season the fillets to taste. Sear the fillets with a little oil and roasting butter in a very hot pan. Finish cooking over low heat, not for too long, to keep the meat rare.
- Spätzle
- Mix until you obtain a smooth batter that falls off the spatula in pieces.
- Let rest for at least half an hour in the refrigerator, covered.
- Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot.
- Press the batter through a spätzle sieve in batches, or through a coarse-holed colander, letting it fall into the boiling water.
- Skim the spätzle once they rise to the surface.
- In a pan with a little oil, sauté the spätzle over high heat.
- You can easily poach the spätzle the day before and keep them in the refrigerator, then pan-fry them only at the last moment.
- Grand Veneur Sauce
- Dice 2 small onions, 2 carrots and 2 shallots, then blanch them for 5 minutes in boiling water.
- Drain and sauté the vegetables in a hot pan. Season. Cook for 5 minutes, adding a sprig of thyme and a bay leaf. Stir in 40 g butter and 20 g flour, mixing well. Then add 4 dl red wine and reduce.
- Add 4 dl beef stock and cook until you reach the consistency you prefer.
- For those who enjoy it, you can add a few grilled bacon lardons, which will further enhance the flavour of this very concentrated sauce.
A glass of Merlot Clos St-Marcel will pair wonderfully with the venison and its grand veneur sauce.
