Girl Hunter Part 23

1 celery stalk, chopped

1 (750 ml) bottle dry red wine

2/3 cup red wine vinegar

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 whole cloves

2 bay leaves

1 sprig fresh thyme

1 bunch fresh parsley sprigs

8 peppercorns

4 small or 2 large venison shoulders

Braise: 4 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup diced onions

1 cup diced carrots

4 garlic cloves, crushed

1/2 cup diced celery

2 sprigs fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

2 whole cloves

1 1/2 cups red wine

3 cups antlered game stock (page 213)

1 cup diced ripe tomatoes

Salt and pepper

For the Marinade: 1. Heat the oil in a heavy pan and sweat the vegetables over medium heat. Add the wine and vinegar and remaining aromatic ingredients and simmer slowly for 30 minutes.

2. Let cool thoroughly at room temperature and pour over the venison. Let it soak for several hours.

For the Braise: 1. Remove the shoulders from the marinade and pat them dry.

2. Heat a roasting pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the venison shoulders and saute on all sides until nicely browned. Remove and set aside.

3. Add the onions, carrots, garlic, and celery to the pan and cook until well browned. Pour off any grease and add the thyme, bay leaf, and cloves.

4. Add the wine and deglaze the little caramelized brown bits at the bottom of the pan, sc.r.a.ping them with a wooden spoon. Add the stock and tomatoes and a little salt and pepper. Return the venison shoulders to the liquid.

5. Tightly cover the roasting pan with tinfoil and place in a 300325F oven to braise for about 2 1/2 hours.

6. When the shoulders are tender, remove the roasting pan from the oven. Remove the foil and let the shoulders rest for 10 minutes.

7. Carefully degrease the cooking liquid by skimming the fat off the top with a ladle.

8. Remove the shoulders from the pot and set aside in a warm place, covered. Strain the braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve. You can reduce some of this liquid in a separate saucepan until it is thick, and pour it over your venison to serve.

Also try: hog, bear, all antlered game

Liver Mousse

Makes 3 cups Many people are reviled by liver, but I call it G.o.d's pudding. It is slightly sweet and very rich and I could eat it endlessly. It serves as the basis for all kinds of internationally popular and unpopular foods-depending on whom you ask. Foie gras, for example, beloved in France, was for a time banned in Chicago. Then there's liver and onions in Britain, Leberwurst in Germany, fish liver sas.h.i.+mi in j.a.pan, and the Jewish dish turned idiom, chopped liver.

I like it not just because it tastes good, but also because it is a way to turn an often overlooked part of the animal into something delicious. Some people avoid liver because they think it stores toxins, but the liver doesn't store toxins, it neutralizes them. It does store important vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, though. I would also argue that the liver from a hunted animal has probably processed far fewer toxins than that of a domestic one, so it is better for you.

When harvesting a liver, take a good look at it first to make sure it looks healthy. It should be free of spots, and not enlarged or discolored. The underlying sweetness in liver lends itself well to other subtly sweet foods, such as shallots and onions, or red wine and port. And a dash of vinegar balances it to prevent it from becoming too cloying.

4 tablespoons grape seed oil, plus more as needed

1 deer liver, sliced into 1/8-inch pieces, or 1 1/2 to 2 cups other liver

Salt and pepper

2 cups thinly sliced shallots

4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped