Peppered Venison Loin with Zinfandel Huckleberry Sauce

Name: Peppered Venison Loin with Zinfandel Huckleberry Sauce
Yield: serves 4
Ingredients: 1 venison loin, trimmed of fat and silverskin, about 1 pound; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme; 1 teaspoon coarsely cracked black peppercorns; 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 3 tablespoons vegetable oil; 1/2 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped; 1 celery rib, coarsely chopped; 2 carrots, coarsely chopped; 1/2 Granny Smith apple, diced (no need to core); 1 cup Cakebread Cellars Zinfandel; 1/2 cup ruby port; 3 cups chicken stock (page 190); 1 sprig fresh thyme; 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh huckleberries or frozen wild Maine blueberries, thawed; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

December 22, 2011

The venison we serve at Cakebread Cellars comes from Broken Arrow Ranch in Texas (see page 144). The meat is as dark as beef but much leaner, with even less cholesterol and fewer calories than skinless chicken breast. Like pork, venison has a natural sweetness that welcomes a tart, fruity sauce. At the 1998 Workshop, Bruce Hill paired it with wild huckleberries; wild blueberries make a good substitute. Serve the venison with potato puree, as Bruce did, or with Brussels sprouts, roasted root vegetables, or the celery root puree from The Cakebread Cellars Napa Valley Cookbook.

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