Young Swiss hunter, Vincent Prétôt, shares his favorite game recipe. Find out what the Prétôt family loves to cook for a delicious Sunday family dinner.
INGREDIENTS
MEAT
- 300 g of back leg mouflon meat or filet (or other kind of game)
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1 TBSP Peanut oil
- 2 TBSP 5 spices powder
- 50 g butter
- 15 g dried morels
- 1 TBSP Thyme
- 1 TBSP Rosemary
- 1 TBSP Basilic
- 6 Juniper berries
- 1 dl white wineSPÄTZLI
- 200 g flour
- 2 eggs
- 1 dl milk
- ½ TSP salt
- 1 TBSP oil
- 2 l water + 1 TBSP salt to cookGREEN BEANS WITH BACON
- 200 g green beans
- 1 onion
- 50 g bacon in cubes
- Salt
- Pepper
- 15 g butterSIDES DISHES
Caramelized apple:
- 1 apple
- 5 g brown sugar
- 10 g butterOptional side dishes:
- 2 TBSP Marmalade (Blueberry, Cranberries, etc.)
- 2 small tomatoes for decoration
PREPARATION
SAUTÉED MEAT “À LA MINUTE”
Take the meat out of the fridge and let it rest until it has room temeperature. Cut the meat into regular dices (approximately 2 cm on each side). Heat a pan and add the oil. When really hot, add the meat and roast on all sides for 2 min and place the meat in a sieve to drain any excess liquid. Deglaze the pan with white wine and add butter, herbs, berries and morels. Add the five spices powder, the meat and cream. Bring back to temperature but don’t boil the cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
HOMEMADE SPÄTZLI
In a bowl, mix flour and salt. Make a well in the center. Mix the eggs with the milk and oil. Add to the flour mix and mix until the dough makes bubbles and is smooth. Cover and let rest for 30 min. Bring to boil 2 liters of water and add 1 TBSP of salt to the water. Moisten a wooden board with cold water and spread 1/3 of the dough on the board. Moisten a sharp knife and cut stripes that you push into the boiling water with a swift movement of the blade. Let cook for 2 min. Take the precooked spätzli out of the water with a sieve and repeat until all of the dough is cooked. Roast the spätzli in a frying pan for 5 minutes before serving
GREEN BEANS WITH BACON
Steam cook the green beans and slice the onion. Sauté the bacon and add the onion slices. Add the green beans, salt and pepper to taste. Add butter for the taste and shiny look.
CARAMELIZED APPLES
Put the butter in a pan, add the apples and roast them for 5 min.
Caramelize the apples with the sugar.
The five spices powder is a common mix in Asia. It is composed of star anis, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns and fennel seeds. You can buy it in specialized spices shops. Of course, other spices may be used for this recipe. The five spices powder was used a lot by the late chef Benoît Violier, one of the best cooks in the world and great hunter, to prepare game dishes.
MY TIP FOR PREPARING VENISON
Consuming sweat marmalade or apples while eating venison will highlight the meat’s aroma giving it a stronger taste.