Venison Backstrap and Rabbit Kidney Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

 

Venison backstrap and rabbit kidney stuffed mushrooms

The pairing of wild game of different types can be a fascinating journey of culinary discovery. Whether it be in a terrine, in a pie, or in a more simple and straightforward fashion such as the one seen here, the results can be not only delicious but surprisingly so. This idea came about simply because I had cleaned a batch of half a dozen rabbits and wanted to prepare a quick and easy dish that would allow me to use up all the delicious little kidneys in one go. 

Cook Time

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 10 min

Ready in: 20 min

Yields: 1 serving

Ingredients

• 3-inch (7.5cm) piece of venison backstrap
• Vegetable oil for frying
• Salt and pepper
• 12 rabbit kidneys, carefully peeled* and cut in half lengthways through the centre
• 2 Portobello mushrooms, stalks removed
• 2 large Savoy cabbage leaves, tough central veins removed, rolled and shredded
• 1/4 small white onion, peeled and finely sliced
• 1 large garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 small red chilli, finely sliced

*Kidneys from any mammal have an outer membrane covering them (sometimes two) which should be carefully peeled away by hand prior to cooking. If you don't do this, the membrane will shrink during the cooking process and potentially damage at the very least the presentation of the kidneys. Removing it from kidneys this small is fiddly but worth the effort, particularly if they are being cooked whole.

Starting to fry venison backstrap

Method

Pour a little oil into a non-stick frying pan or skillet and bring it up to a high heat. Season the venison backstrap on both sides with salt and pepper and cook on a high heat for 2 minutes each side. Lift to a holding plate, cover with foil and leave to rest for 5 minutes.

Mushrooms and vegetables are put on to fry

If necessary, add a little more oil to the pan vacated by the venison and bring it back up to a medium heat. Add the mushroom tops (flat side down) to one half of the pan and the cabbage, onion, garlic and chilli to the other half. Season with salt and pepper. Fry for an initial 2 minutes, stirring the cabbage combination around very frequently.

Mushrooms are turned to fry on their second side

Turn the mushrooms over that the flat sides are now uppermost. Fry for 2 further minutes, continuing to stir fry the cabbage combination. 

Rabbit kidneys are put on to sear

Kidneys from larger mammals such as lambs or particular cows/oxen will have white fatty elements in their centre which require cutting out and removing prior to cooking. This is not necessary with rabbit kidneys as they are so small.

Pour a little oil into a small saucepan or frying pan and bring it up to a medium to high heat. Add the rabbit kidneys just after the mushrooms are turned, season with salt and pepper and saute for about 1.5 to 2 minutes until just done.

Sliced venison strips are laid in fried mushroom cups

Lift the mushrooms to a plate covered with kitchen paper to briefly drain, cup sides down, while you lift the venison backstrap to a chopping board and slice it carefully and moderately thinly against the grain at a 45-degree angle. Present the mushrooms cups side up on a square serving plate and lay the venison strips carefully inside, topping with the rabbit kidneys.

Arrange the cabbage stir fry on either side for service.

Venison Backstrap and Stilton Oatcakes

 

Venison backstrap and Stilton cheese oatcakes

It's an absolute scorcher today here in North Lanarkshire and I hope the weather is equally good wherever you may be reading this article. For this reason, I decided to show you an incredibly simple sharing dish that you can enjoy outdoors with a nice glass of something cold and refreshing. The only cooking involved is the quick flash frying of the piece of venison backstrap which is subsequently allowed to cool completely before being served on Scottish oatcakes, with Stilton cheese and redcurrant sauce.

Cook Time

Prep time: 5 min (plus resting/cooling time for venison)

Cook time: 5 min

Ready in: 10 min

Yields: 4 servings

Scottish oatcake

Ingredients

• 2 inch/5cm piece of roe deer venison backstrap
• Salt and pepper
• Little oil for frying
• 4 Scottish oatcakes
• 4 triangular slices from block of Stilton cheese
• 4 teaspoons redcurrant sauce, or as required (bought in glass jar from supermarket)
• Freshly chopped parsley to garnish
• Simple side salad of choice to serve (this salad is mixed green salad leaves, mini carrot batons and thin slices of red bell pepper, combined in a bowl and seasoned with salt and pepper)

Venison backstrap is added to very hot frying pan

Method

Pour a little oil into a frying pan or skillet and bring it up to a pretty high heat. Season the venison backstrap on both sides with salt and pepper and fry for 2.5 minutes each side on full heat. Note that if you are using the backstrap from a larger deer than a roe, you will have to increase this cooking time accordingly. Lift to a plate, cover with foil and allow to rest for a minimum 5 minutes. Longer is fine as you will be serving it cold anyway.

Lift the cooled and rested backstrap to a chopping board and slice at a 45-degree angle to 8 - as evenly sized as possible - slices.

Venison and Stilton are added to oatcake

Scottish oatcakes essentially serve the same purpose in the serving of food as crackers but they are very different in terms of the recipe, the texture and the flavour. They are made from oats, water, salt and fat of some type, can be very crumbly and are sold in different levels of coarseness.

Lay 2 slices of venison, slightly overlapping, on each oatcake and top with a triangle of Stilton cheese.

Redcurrant sauce and parsley top the Stilton and venison oatcakes

Spoon some redcurrant sauce over each piece of Stilton cheese and garnish with the chopped parsley.

Biting in to a venison and Stilton Scottish oatcake

Lift the oatcake assemblies to the 4 corners of a square plate as shown and serve with the simple salad arranged in the centre of the plate.

Venison Backstrap, Quail Eggs and Caviar

 

Venison backstrap on toast with quail eggs and caviar

Backstrap is the lean strip of muscle that runs along either side of a deer's spine. When cooked properly, it is as tender as any cut of meat from any animal can be; but when even slightly overcooked, it will quickly become tough and unpalatable. If you are buying it, you will find it is very expensive, so it is important to know how to cook it right and not to spoil it during the process. In this instance, I have served the sliced backstrap on whole wheat toast spread with horseradish infused quail egg yolks, a simply dressed salad and quail egg and caviar garnishes.

Cook Time

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 10 min

Ready in: 20 min

Yields: 1 serving

Ingredients

• 3 quail eggs, around 1 week old (important for hard boiling any type of egg)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large garlic clove
• Salt and black pepper
• Generous pinch dried basil
• Handful of mixed lettuce leaves, roughly shredded
• 3 baby plum tomatoes, halved down through the core
• 1 inch/2.5cm piece of cucumber, halved lengthways then sliced into crescents
• 6 pitted black olives, halved down through the cavity
• 1 teaspoon horseradish sauce
• 3 inch/7.5cm piece venison backstrap (fallow deer backstrap used in this instance)
• Vegetable oil for frying
• 1 inch/2.5cm thick slice of wheat, spelt and rye bread (or similar)
• Small amount of caviar as required (lumpfish caviar used in this instance)

Method

Put the quail eggs into a small saucepan with enough cold water to ensure they are comfortably covered. Put the pot on to a high heat until the water just starts to boil then adjust the heat to maintain a medium simmer for 1.5 minutes precisely. Lift the pot to your sink and run cold water into it for half a minute or so then leave the eggs in the cold water to cool while you prepare the salad.

Preparing simple salad to accompany venison

Pour the olive oil into a large glass or stone bowl. Peel the garlic clove and either crush or grate it into the bowl. Season with salt, black pepper and the dried basil and stir well with a wooden spoon. Add the lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber and olives before carefully stir folding to combine and ensure even coating in the seasoned oil.

Halved hard boiled quail eggs

Take your time peeling the quail eggs as they are incredible delicate. Start by cracking the shell gently all around against a hard surface. Peel from the broad end, ensuring you get under the inner membrane as well as the shell. Lay the peeled eggs on a chopping board and cut down the way to halve the eggs with a very sharp, thin bladed knife. I used a fish filleting knife.

Yolk is carefully removed form quail egg halves

The point of the knife can then be used to gently pop the yolk portion out of the egg halves and into a small mixing bowl.
 

Quail egg yolks and horseradish sauce

Add the horseradish sauce to the quail egg yolks and mash together with the back of a fork until fully combined and smooth.

Searing venison backstrap

Pour a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil into a frying pan or skillet and bring it up to a high heat. Season the venison on both sides with salt and pepper and fry on the high heat for 2.5 minutes each side. Lift to a plate and leave to rest for 5 minutes. This resting period is absolutely essential or your backstrap is likely to be tough.

Quail egg yolk toast, salad and caviar garnishes

While the venison is resting, toast the slice of bread until golden on both sides. Lay it diagonally on a square serving plate and spread evenly with the quail egg yolk and horseradish combination. Arrange the salad carefully on either side of the toast, leaving a little room at opposite corners of the plate.

A mother of pearl, plastic or similar type of spoon must be used for caviar. It is vitally important that you do not use a metal spoon as the metal will react with the caviar, causing it to oxidise and the flavour and texture will quickly be affected. Take each quail egg half in turn and spoon a little caviar into the cavity left by the removed yolks. Lay 3 assemblies either side of the toast and salad.

Tucking in to venison backstrap with quail eggs and caviar

Lay the rested venison on a chopping board and slice at a 45-degree angle to a thickness of around 0.25 inch/0.5cm. Lay the slices overlapping on the quail egg yolk toast and serve.