Venison Wellington With Oyster Pâté Recipes

VENISON WELLINGTON WITH OYSTER PâTé

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Rub the tenderloin with salt and pepper and brush it lightly with oil. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and lightly sear all surfaces of the meat, including the ends. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside. Melt the butter over high heat; add the shallots and garlic and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes longer. Add the oysters and sherry, and cook until the oysters are opaque. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Drain off any liquid and combine the mixture with the breadcrumbs in the bowl of a food processor. Process until well blended and nearly smooth. Line a colander with several layers of cheesecloth and spoon the pâté into it. Allow to drain for 10 to 15 minutes. If the pâté seems too wet, pick up the edge of the cheesecloth, twist it together, and wring out the excess liquid.
• Roll the pastry dough out on a lightly floured surface to form a rectangle less than 1/4 inch thick. Spoon some pâté into the center of the dough and spread it to form a shape similar to that of the tenderloin. Place the venison on the pâté, then cover the top and sides of the meat with the remaining pâté. Wrap the pastry around the venison, overlapping the edges to form a seam. Moisten the edges with water and pinch lightly to seal. Trim the top layer of pastry from both ends and fold the ends up over the sides of the venison, sealing as before. Carefully turn over the pastry-wrapped tenderloin and place seam-side down on a lightly greased baking sheet. Brush with the beaten egg. Decorate the top with designs cut from the pastry scraps. Brush the cutouts with beaten egg. Bake the tenderloin for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let stand in a warm place for 10 minutes before carving.
• Combine the flour and salt in a food processor and pulse once or twice to mix. Cut the butter into chunks and add it to the processor. Process until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add the sour cream and pulse until the dough forms a ball. Remove the dough and knead it a few times. Wrap the dough in waxed paper and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. The dough can be frozen for up to 1 month; allow it to thaw partially before rolling.
• For those who don't care for oysters, a mushroom duxelles may be used instead of pâté. Substitute 8 ounces of finely chopped fresh mushrooms (any kind will do) for the oysters, and follow the above procedure. You may also substitute a beef tenderloin for the venison.

VENISON WELLINGTON

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a hot pan over medium-high heat. Brown venison in the hot butter, about 2 minutes per side. Set meat aside.
• Melt remaining butter in the pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onion, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce. Saute until mushrooms are soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool.
• Spread thyme, salt, and pepper onto a large cutting board and roll backstrap halves on top to form a coating of herbs. Wrap each piece of backstrap in enough bacon to cover it.
• Unfold 1 puff pastry and place first piece of backstrap into the center. Bring the sides of the pastry together and pinch to seal. Repeat with other backstrap and remaining pastry. Place each into an ungreased baking dish.
• Mix egg yolk and water together in a small bowl. Coat the tops of the dough.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Continue to bake until dough is golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes more.