Venison and blueberries are a wonderful match, and port adds even more depth of flavour to this sauce.
Ingredients
For the venison
- 400g venison medallions
- Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- Cooking oil, for frying
- A knob of butter
For the port and blueberry sauce
- Cooking oil, for frying
- 2 tablespoons finely diced shallot
- 1 clove garlic — crushed
- ½ cup port
- 1 cup beef stock
- ¼ cup blueberry jam
- ½ cup fresh or frozen blueberries
- Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon cornflour
- 2 teaspoons water
Method
For the venison with port and blueberry sauce
- Remove the venison from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking to allow it to come to room temperature.
- To make the Port & Blueberry Sauce, heat a little oil in a small saucepan, add the shallot and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking for another minute.
- Add the port and boil rapidly until reduced by half.
- Add the stock and simmer for 3 minutes, then whisk in the jam and simmer for a further 2 minutes.
- Strain the sauce then return it to the saucepan.
- Add the blueberries and allow them to warm through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Mix the cornflour and water to make a slurry. Add to the sauce and simmer, stirring, until slightly thickened. Set aside
- Season the venison and drizzle with a little oil.
- Heat a large pan to a high temperature. When hot, add the venison with the knob of butter and cook for 2–3 minutes each side, basting several times with the butter
- Transfer to a warm plate and leave to rest while you finish the sauce.
- Add the Port & Blueberry Sauce to the pan you cooked the venison in and warm through. Stir any resting juices from the venison into the sauce.
- Serve the venison topped with sauce.