Venison Steaks in Red Wine Sauce

One of Pierre's fans, Vincent, asked us to include this venison recipe on the web site. He made it recently using just red wine and reports that it came out wonderful. If you're adventurous, try the marinade and check out the recipe for Venison Stew.

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ pounds loin of venison, sliced diagonally into 8 medallions, each about 1 ½ inches thick
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
1 tablespoon cognac
¾ cup Red Wine Marinade for Venison or red wine
2 tablespoons butter

PREPARATION

1. Drain the medallions and sprinkle them with a little salt and a lot of pepper on both sides
2. Heat the oil in a large nonstick sauté pan over high heat. Sauté the venison for about 2 minutes on each side for rare. Transfer to a warm serving platter.
3. Pour off the fat from the pan and add the shallots. Cook, stirring, over medium-high heat for about 1 minute. Add the cognac, tilt the pan, and flambé. When the flame dies down add the marinade and any juices that have accumulated on the venison platter. Reduce the sauce over high heat by half. Add the butter and whisk until smooth. Pour the sauce over the meat and serve immediately.

YIELD

4 servings