Venison Roast with Spaetzle

Ingredients

• 2 kg venison back
• 1 tsp juniper berries
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 Carrot
• 1 onion
• 4 tbsp oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• 400 ml game stock (from the bottle)
• 0.125 l red wine
• 200 g crème fraîche
• 500 g flour
• 4 eggs
• 2 tbsp butter

Instructions

1. 1.

   For the spaetzle, whisk together the flour with the eggs, 1 tsp salt and 0.125 l lukewarm water until a smooth dough forms.

2. 2.

   Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Crush the juniper berries in a mortar. Rub the venison back with salt, pepper and the crushed juniper berries. Peel and roughly cube the carrot. Peel and quarter the onion. In a large roasting pan, heat oil and butter; sear the venison side down for 5 minutes, then flip, add the vegetables, pour in the game stock and wine, cover and roast in the oven for 40 minutes, basting with the pan juices occasionally.

3. 3.

   Bring 3 l of salted water to a boil. Press the spaetzle dough through a spaetzle press into the boiling water. When the spaetzles float to the surface, remove them with a slotted spoon, drain and place on a warmed platter.

4. 4.

   Remove the venison from the roasting pan, strain the juices, bring to a simmer in a saucepan and stir in the crème fraîche.

5. 5.

   In a skillet, melt 2 tbsp butter and toss the spaetzle. Separate the meat from the bone and slice diagonally into medallions. Mix parsley with the spaetzles and serve together. Pair with red cabbage.