Szechuan-Crusted Venison Loin with...Szechuan-Crusted Venison Loin with Blackberry-Chipotle Gastrique

An elegant interplay of tingling heat and deep fruitiness. Tender venison loin crusted in toasted Szechuan peppercorns, served over a silky parsnip-vanilla purée and drizzled with a smoky blackberry-chipotle gastrique.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   To make the parsnip purée, simmer the parsnips in salted water until completely tender, about 15 minutes. Drain thoroughly, then transfer to a high-speed blender with the heavy cream, 50g of butter, and scraped vanilla seeds. Blend until ultra-smooth, season with salt, pass through a chinois, and keep warm.

2. 02

   For the gastrique, sauté the minced shallots in a small saucepan with a touch of butter until translucent. Add the blackberries, minced chipotle in adobo, honey, and apple cider vinegar. Simmer over medium heat for 8 minutes until the berries break down, then pour in the game stock and reduce by half.

3. 03

   Strain the gastrique through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing lightly on the solids to extract the juices. Return the liquid to a clean saucepan, bring to a gentle simmer, and whisk in 15g of cold butter to emulsify and glaze. Set aside.

4. 04

   In a dry pan over medium heat, toast the Szechuan peppercorns and fennel seeds until highly aromatic, about 2 minutes. Coarsely grind them in a mortar and pestle, then mix with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt.

5. 05

   Pat the venison loin dry and press it firmly into the ground spice mixture, coating it evenly on all sides.

6. 06

   Heat grapeseed oil in a heavy cast-iron skillet over high heat until smoking. Sear the venison loin for 1 minute on each side to develop a beautiful, aromatic crust.

7. 07

   Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the remaining 15g of butter, garlic cloves, and rosemary sprigs. Baste the venison continuously with the foaming butter for an additional 2-3 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 52°C (125°F) for medium-rare.

8. 08

   Transfer the venison to a warm plate and let it rest for 8 minutes before slicing into thick medallions.

9. 09

   To plate, swipe a generous spoonful of the vanilla-parsnip purée across each dish. Arrange the venison medallions on top, drizzle with the spicy blackberry-chipotle gastrique, and garnish with fresh microgreens.