1463. VENISON MEDALLIONS with a BRUNOISE of BACON and WINTER VEGETABLES

serves four


2 medium carrots, peeled
½ celeriac or 1 large turnip, peeled
1 leek, white part only
2 tablespoons olive oil
100 grams bacon lardons
1 Savoy cabbage, cored and thinly shredded
142ml pot single cream
4 x 120 grams fillet of venison steaks
a little finely chopped parsley
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cut the carrots and celeriac or turnip into small, neat 1cm dice. Blanch in a little salted boiling water for 3 minutes, then drain, season and set aside.

Quarter the leek lengthways and cut into dice. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large saucepan and sauté the lardons until the fat starts to run. After about 3 minutes, toss in the leeks and cook for 2 minutes.

Stir in the cabbage and sauté with the leeks and bacon for 2-3 minutes until wilted, stirring often. Mix in the cream. Bring to the boil, then cook briskly
until the cream reduces by half. Check the seasoning.

When ready to serve, season the venison. Heat the remaining oil in a heavy-based nonstick frying pan and press the venison steaks on to the hot metal. Cook for about 3 minutes, then flip over and cook the other side for another 2 minutes or until the flesh feels springy when pressed. Season again and set the pan aside to let the meat rest.

Reheat the cabbage with brunoise of root vegetables. Divide between the centre of four warm dinner plates. Slice the venison into medallions, slightly on the diagonal and arrange on top, overlapping a little. Pour over any meat juices from the cutting up. Sprinkle over the parsley and serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Gordon Ramsay, Times Online

1462. WARM EDAM CHEESE SOUFFLE with CRISPY BACON

yields eight servings


Bechamel:
1 1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
5 teaspoons flour
6 egg yolks
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper
pinch of cayenne pepper

Cheese Mixture:
3 ounces Edam cheese
2 ounces butter
3 ounces cream cheese
8 egg whites, whipped
pinch of salt
1/4 pounds small brunoise of bacon

Bring the milk to a boil. In a different pan over a medium heat melt the butter, add the flour and cook without browning until the mixture begins to bubble. Gradually add hot milk whishing constantly. Cook until texture becomes smooth and thick and begins to boil. Let boil for 3 to5 minutes whisking constantly. Remove from heat, place in a bowl. Mix yolks, salt, pepper and cayenne to the mixture.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Prepare souffle ramekin by buttering the edges with softened butter. Sprinkle the finely grated parmesan evenly around the ramekin. Prepare bain marie (water bath) for souffle and heat in oven.

In a bowl melt the cream cheese, butter and edam cheese. Add Bechamel to cheese mixture. With a spatula fold the soft peaked whipped egg whites to mixture.

Dice the Nueske Bacon into small pieces, saute in pan until crisp. Drain excess fast and place on a paper towel.

Fill the prepared ramekin with mixture to the top. Clean the edges of the ramekin of any extra mixture. To bake souffle place the ramekins in the bain marie for 15 minutes until it puffs 1 inch above the ramekin. Take souffle out of the oven to cool. Place a tsp of crispy bacon in the center of the souffle.

Place Ramekin on plate with a quenelle of onion sorbet.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Roland Passot, Food Network