Axis Venison Parmentier With Mashed Potatoes, Glazed Root Vegetables and Truffle Oil


Axis Venison Parmentier With Mashed Potatoes, Glazed Root Vegetables and Truffle Oil
axis venison parmentier with mashed potatoes, glazed root vegetables and truffle oil photo by josh monken

Ingredients

For the venison, allow 3 days
1 axis venison shoulder
1 bottle (750 milliliter) red wine
½ bottle (350 milliliter) port
2 onions, large diced1 carrot, large diced
1 celery stalk, large diced
Bouquet garni
1 cinnamon stick
1 Tbsp. juniper berries
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
8 to 10 cups chicken or beef stock


For the potatoes
6 Yukon gold potatoes
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter
4 Tbsp. crème fraîche*
Salt and pepper to taste
Truffle oil**


For the vegetables
3 carrots, peeled
3 parsnips, peeled
4 Tbsp. butter
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp. sugar


For the assembly
3-inch ring mold, about 2 inches in height
Cheesecloth



Preparation

For the venison
• Ask your butcher to cut the venison shoulder into 3 parts in order to accommodate marinating and cooking. Place the venison, wine, port, onions, carrot and celery in a nonreactive container. Place the bouquet garni, cinnamon and juniper in a cheesecloth sachet and add to the marinade. Cover and marinate overnight.

• The next day, drain and dry the meat, reserving the marinade. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the venison lightly with salt and pepper, then sear it on all sides. The meat will brown quickly. When brown on all sides, remove to a casserole dish. Add the marinade with veggies to the pot, and bring the liquid to a boil. Skim the impurities, and then add the venison and enough stock to cover the venison halfway. Bring the pot to a boil once more, then cover with a lid and place in the oven.

• After 45 minutes, turn the meat, and then return the pot to the oven for another 45 minutes. The meat should give easily when pushed in with your fingers. Test at the thickest point on the shoulder.

• Transfer the meat to a casserole dish big enough to hold the meat and the liquid. Strain the braising liquid over the meat. Rest the meat for 30 minutes at room temperature, then refrigerate overnight.

• Gently warm the meat in a 300-degree oven. When warmed through, shred the meat off the bone and discard any sinews or fat.

• Place the braising liquid in a pot and begin reducing. When the braising liquid has thickened to a sauce consistency, add the meat to heat through.


For the potatoes

• Peel and coarsely dice the potatoes.

• Place the potatoes in a pot with cold water; salt the water to taste. Bring the pot to a boil, then simmer until the potatoes are very tender.

• Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot over low heat for 3 to 5 minutes.

• Mash the potatoes, and then mix in butter and crème fraîche.

• Season with salt and pepper.

• Mix the mashed potatoes with truffle oil to taste. (Too much truffle oil in the mashed potatoes will not taste good. The heat from the potatoes can make the truffle oil oxidize and taste very bitter and harsh.)


For the vegetables
• Peel the carrots and parsnips. 

• Cut each vegetable in half lengthwise then slice into thin semicircles.

• Place the carrots and parsnips, respectively, into 2 sauté pans large enough to accommodate the vegetables in 1 layer.

• In each pan, place 2 tablespoons of butter, salt and pepper to taste and 1 teaspoon of sugar.

• Fill each pan with water to almost reach the top of the vegetables.

• Cook the vegetables over high heat until the carrots and parsnips are tender and glazed over. • Transfer to plates to cool down.


To assemble
• Heat the vegetables and make sure the potatoes are hot.

• Place a ring mold in the center of a plate. Place mashed potatoes to fill ¹/³ of the ring mold, then top with some drained venison. Fill the rest of the ring mold with mashed potatoes until flush with the top of the mold. Top the potatoes with more venison.

• Unmold onto individual dinner plate. Arrange glazed carrots and parsnips around the venison mold. Repeat for each serving.

• Drizzle truffle oil over each plate.

* You can find crème fraîche premade at specialty grocery stores. To make your own, combine 2 cups of whipping cream with 4 tablespoons of buttermilk. Let stand at room temperature for 8 to 24 hours until the mixture is very thick. Stir, then refrigerate for up to 10 days.
** Truffle oil is an olive oil infused with truffles. If you cannot find truffle oil at a specialty grocery store, substitute with an herb-flavored olive oil.