Venison Tenderloin in Madeira Sauce and Parmesan Polenta

Ingredients

• 1 venison tenderloin
• 8 juniper berries
• 10 black peppercorns
• Salt
• 2 carrots
• 4 onions
• 1 small piece celery
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp tomato paste
• 200 ml Madeira wine
• 1 glass wild stock
• 1 tbsp Cornstarch
• 600 ml Milk
• 1 Garlic clove
• Salt
• 100 g polenta
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 5 tsp truffle butter
• 60 g fresh parmesan
• ground pepper
• 50 g truffles

Instructions

1. 1.

   Trim the silver skin from the venison tenderloin with a sharp knife. Score the tenderloin along the middle bone 3-4 cm deep. Crush juniper berries and pepper in a mortar, mix with a little salt, and rub onto the tenderloin. Peel and quarter onions. Peel and finely chop carrots and celery. Heat oil in a roasting pan. Sear the tenderloin on the meat side for 1 minute, then remove. Add onions and vegetables to the pan fat and sear heavily. Stir in tomato paste. Deglaze with Madeira wine and place the tenderloin, meat side up, onto the vegetables. Roast in a preheated oven at 220°C (gas: level 4-5, fan: 200°C) for 30-40 minutes, gradually adding wild stock.

2. 2.

   Meanwhile pour milk into a pot and bring to a boil. Peel and finely chop garlic. Add with a generous pinch of salt to the milk. Whisk in polenta with a whisk until smooth. Simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 20-30 minutes until thickened. At the end of cooking, fold in half‑stiffened cream, truffle butter, and parmesan.

3. 3.

   Season with salt and pepper. Remove pan from oven. Take out tenderloin and set aside warm for 10 minutes. Strain the roasting liquid through a sieve into a pot. Whisk cornstarch with a little cold water and use to thicken the stock. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Separate tenderloin from bone with a sharp knife, slice, and serve with sauce and polenta. Optionally shave truffles over the polenta.