A show-stopping dish featuring a cocoa-dusted venison rack, served over a silky parsnip purée and finished with a rich red wine–cassis sauce. The combination of earthy cocoa, sweet root vegetables, and tangy fruit notes creates a beautifully balanced and elegant plate, perfect for impressing guests.
Recipe supplied by Deer Industry NZ
Preparation Time:
10 minutes
Cook Time:
1 hour 15 minutes
Serves:
4-6
Difficulty:
1 10-rib Silver Fern Farms Venison Frenched Rack
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp cocoa powder
4 large parsnips, peeled and diced
2 bay leaves
2½ cups whole milk
1 tbsp unsalted butter
Fresh thyme, for garnish
2 red onions
2 celery stalks
2 Granny Smith apples
4 garlic cloves
¼ cup olive oil
6⅓ cups cooking red wine
4¼ cups cooking port
2 cups chicken stock
3 tbsp crème de cassis
To make the Red Wine-Cassis Sauce - Peel and chop the onions and cut celery into 1-inch pieces. Core the apples, cut into 1-inch pieces, and finely chop the garlic.
Heat the oil in a deep saucepan, add the vegetables, apples, garlic, and slowly caramelize them over a low heat. Pour in the red wine and port, and simmer for 1 hour. Strain and discard the vegetables, returning the liquid to a clean pan. Add the chicken stock and cassis and reduce the sauce to 1¼ cups.
To make the Parsnip Purée - in a saucepan, place the parsnips, bay leaves, and enough milk to cover. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes until the parsnips are tender. Strain the parsnips, reserving the milk but discarding the bay leaves.
Put the parsnips into a food processor and blend until smooth, adding the butter and just enough milk to make a velvety purée. Season lightly.
To cook the Venison Rack - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat the butter in a frying pan until foaming. Sear the venison on all sides and season with salt and pepper.
Transfer pan to oven and roast for 30–15 minutes depending on weight (allowing 9 minutes per pound).
Remove to a suitable warm plate, dust with the cocoa powder, and rest the rack for 10 minutes. Slice the venison between the bones, arrange over the parsnip purée, and drizzle with the sauce.
$134.99
