3178. BACON-WRAPPED VENISON LOIN with ALBEMARLE PIPPIN, CHESTNUT and CORNBREAD STUFFING

yields four servings 


For Bacon Wrapped Venison:

1 venison loin, all silver skin removed
1 cup whole milk
3−4 garlic cloves, crushed
Small handful black peppercorns
1 bunch fresh rosemary, picked off the stem, chopped
1 package applewood smoked bacon, sliced
1 pound haricot verts, stems removed, blanched
½ Albemarle Pippin apple, sliced, for garnish

For Apple, Chestnut, and Cornbread Stuffing:
1 pound cornbread, baked the day before (recipe of your choosing)
1 cup cooked chestnuts, toasted, roughly chopped
¾ stick unsalted butter
1 celery rib
1 Vidalia onion, small
¼ cup flat-leaf parsley
2 Albemarle Pippin apples, cored, large diced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced
¼ tablespoon fresh sage, minced
1 egg
¾ cup chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste

 

For Bourbon and Apple Veal Demi-Glace (yields 6-8 servings):
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 shallots
1 garlic clove
2 Albemarle Pippin apples, cored, chopped
1 bunch thyme
1 cup bourbon
1 cup apple cider
2 cups veal demi-glace
Salt and white pepper to taste 

For Bacon Wrapped Venison: Cut the venison in half and soak overnight in refrigerator with whole milk, garlic cloves, black peppercorns, and rosemary. Drain the milk from the venison, discard all other ingredients, and pat venison dry with paper towels. Lay out the bacon strips on a cutting board, slightly overlapping each piece (forming large bacon sheets). Place one half of the loin on the bacon and gently roll the whole piece, covering it in a sheet of bacon. Repeat process with the other half of the loin. Cooking instructions to follow.

  

For Apple, Chestnut, and Cornbread Stuffing: Crumble cornbread into chunks. Mix with chestnuts. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Meanwhile, melt butter in sauté pan over medium heat. Add celery and onion and cook until soft (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat. Add to cornbread/chestnut mixture. Add the parsley, apples, thyme, and sage to cornbread/chestnut mixture. Mix egg and chicken stock together. Pour into mixing bowl with all other ingredients. Bake in a buttered glass Pyrex dish for about 15−20 minutes until cooked through.

For Bourbon and Apple Veal Demi-Glace: Sauté the shallots, garlic, apples, and thyme in the oil until slightly caramelized. Add the bourbon to deglaze. Flame. Add cider. Cook until there is one cup of liquid remaining. Add veal demi-glace and bring down to a sauce consistency. Strain through chinois. Season with salt and pepper.

To Assemble: Make stuffing. Bake. Hold warm. Make bourbon-apple jus. Reserve warm. Season the bacon-wrapped loins with salt and pepper. Place in hot skillet seam side down. Sear for 4−5 minutes until the bacon becomes crispy. Turn venison loin over and sear the other side for same amount of time. With a pair of tongs, continue to turn venison to sear all sides so bacon is crispy throughout. Cook to medium rare. While venison is finishing up, reheat haricot verts in some butter and season with salt and pepper. Pull loins out of skillet and let rest for 2 minutes. Gently slice into medallions. Place stuffing and haricot verts in center of four plates. Fan sliced venison on top. Garnish with sliced apples. Drizzle sauce around.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Chef Walter Bundy, The Local Palate, October 2013