
Brook Kavanagh's recipe for cacao bean crusted, cast iron-seared elk tenderloin with blackberry-mint smashed purple potatoes, heirloom carrots, chanterelles and juniper demi glace.
Steam potatoes and carrots (separately) until just tender. Shock with cold water to stop the cooking process, and reserve until ready to plate.
Crush juniper berries and add to demi glace (in a pan), set on low heat, tasting occasionally. When demi glace has acquired the desired level of juniper intensity, strain crushed juniper berries and reserve sauce.
Heat clarified butter in a cast iron skillet until it begins to smoke. While pan is heating up, season elk with salt, pepper, and dredge as much ground cacao onto the flesh as possible, really press it into the meat. Imagine the tenderloin is a long cubic rectangle, and sear it on all four sides, for one minute per side. Remove tenderloin and allow meat to rest on a rack somewhere warm (do not wrap or cover, as the trapped steam from the meat will soften the crisp sear).
Using your hands, break purple potatoes into uneven chunks, throw them into the hot pan until just warmed through, add your heirloom carrots and chanterelles for the last minute of the potatoes’ cooking. Right before you're about to plate, toss in your blackberries and torn mint.
The idea is that you want to just heat the blackberries through, without them breaking apart and staining all the other ingredients, and if you add the mint too early it will lose all of its lovely green colour and fresh aroma. Remember, soft herbs (parsley, chives, basil, coriander, mint etc.) should only be used at the last second, as their flavours are extremely volatile.
To plate:
Drizzle juniper demi glace in as long a line as possible on a plate that is as long as possible. Slice the tenderloin into 1/2 inch-thick sections and arrange haphazardly along your demi line. Arrange all other ingredients in between the gaps in your meat, paying attention to an even distribution of colour, shape, size and texture.
Serves 4 to 6ish
Brook Kavanagh
~ is the executive chef of La Palette, interprets French bistro classics using local sustainable produce and responsibly raised meats like elk, wild boar and caribou
www.lapalette.com
For Mom and Baby
by Julie Watson