Roasted Venison Loin with Celeriac Puree and Wild Berries

Art Culinaire, Spring, 2001 by Karl Obauer, Rudolf Obauer

For the venison sauce, in a large saute pan, melt half the butter over medium heat. Add the venison bones, garlic bulb, celeriac, carrots, and bacon and saute until the bacon fat is rendered, about five minutes. Add the wine, Benedictine, blueberries, cranberries, chocolate, ginger, juniper berries, and caraway seeds. Adjust the heat to low and simmer until reduced by two-thirds, about three hours. Remove from the heat and strain through a fine mesh sieve, reserving the garlic bulb separately. Transfer the sauce to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the remaining butter, season and set aside keeping warm.

For the celeriac puree, coat the inside of six 3-inch ring molds with butter and place on a parchment-lined sheet pan. In a medium saucepan, bring all of the ingredients to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until soft, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain through a fine mesh sieve, discarding the liquid. Transfer the celeriac and potatoes to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade attachment. Puree until smooth.

Season and spoon the puree into the ring molds.

Using a hand-held propane torch, brown the top of each and set aside keeping warm.

For the venison, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large roasting pan heat the butter and oil over medium heat. Season and sear the venison on all sides. Place in the oven and roast until desired doneness. Remove from the heat and set aside, keeping warm.

To serve, place some celeriac puree to one side of the dish and remove the mold. Place a venison loin in the center and drizzle some venison sauce over the dish and garnish with garlic cloves, garlic peel, cloudberries, and sage. Accompany with cloudberry jam, elderberry jam, and buckthornberry jam.

(Serves 6)

For the venison sauce:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced and chilled

4 1/2 pound venison rack, bones removed and cut into 6 portions

1 bulb garlic

1 small celeriac, peeled and diced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

2 ounces diced bacon

4 cups red wine

1 ounce Benedictine [R] liquor

2 ounces blueberries

2 ounces cranberries

2 teaspoons chopped dark chocolate

1 tablespoon chopped ginger

3 juniper berries

1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds

Salt and pepper to taste

For the celeriac puree:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 celeriac, peeled and chopped

1 Idaho potato, peeled and chopped

1 cup whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper to taste

For the venison:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Reserved venison loins

Salt and pepper to taste

For the dish:

Cloudberry jam [*]

Elderberry jam [*]

Buckthornberry jam [*]

For the garnish:

Reserved garlic

Fried garlic peel

Cloudberries

Sage

(*.) The pantry at restaurant Karl-Rudolf Obauer is stocked with jams made in-house. Cloudberries and elderberries are available in specialty markets. Buckthornberries are small vibrant orange berries with a highly acidic taste. Available through Van-Berry Farms Limited (604) 737-8720 or matt@portal.ca.