#TasteofThursday Grilled Venison Loin with Blackberry Agro Dolce recipe

Grilled venison loin with blackberry agro dolce on polenta

Miradoro Grilled Venison Loin with Blackberry Agro Dolce on Polenta - Lionel Trudel Photography
Miradoro Grilled Venison Loin with Blackberry Agro Dolce on Polenta – Lionel Trudel Photography

(Best paired with Tinhorn Creek Oldfield Series 2Bench Red)

Serves 6

Agro dolce

  • 1 pound fresh or frozen blackberries
  • 1 shallot – diced
  • 250 ml red wine vinegar
  • 125 ml brown sugar
  • 1 tsp salt

Place all ingredients in a saucepan and reduce on medium heat until the liquid becomes a thick syrup. Refrigerate overnight.

Polenta

  • 1 litre water
  • 250 ml cornmeal
  • ¼ cup of butter cubed
  • ½ cup grated parmesan
  • Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper

Bring water to a simmer with the butter. While whisking, gradually pour in polenta. Drop heat to low simmer and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid lumps. After 30 minutes, remove from direct heat, cover the polenta with plastic wrap right on the surface of the polenta (to avoid a skin forming) and store somewhere warm. When the venison is ready to serve, remove the plastic wrap from the polenta, rewarm and whisk in the parmesan.

Venison

  • 6 x 6oz venison loin or Denver leg medallions
  • Olive oil
  • Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper

Preheat BBQ* to high. Pat dry and season loins with salt and pepper and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Grill loins to rare (about 125 – 130 degrees F). Rest in a warm place for 15 minutes or so. Note: you could also use a grill pan*

Place the polenta on 6 plates. Slice the venison into slices about 1 cm thick. Arrange on polenta. Place blackberry agro dolce on top.

 

Jeff Van Geest, Executive Chef

Chef Jeff Van Geest tasteofthursdayWhen it comes to modern, local and sustainable cuisine, Chef Jeff Van Geest is one of British Columbia’s most celebrated chefs. Jeff owned and operated Vancouver’s Aurora Bistro for over five years. During this time, Jeff and his restaurant won several prestigious awards: including being named one of enRoute magazine’s top new restaurants in 2004, gold for Best Regional Restaurant and silver for Chef of the Year at the 2006 Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards, and the 2008 Vancouver Magazine Green Award.

Jeff was born and raised in St. Catharines, Ontario – right in the heart of Ontario’s Niagara wine region. Growing up with farmers as grandparents, Jeff developed his respect for fresh local produce at a very early age. In 1992, Jeff headed out west to Vancouver, where one of his first jobs he found was working in a restaurant as a cook. He immediately knew this was his passion and enrolled in culinary school.

Jeff completed his culinary training at the Vancouver Community College in 1994 and went on to complete his apprenticeship at Bishop’s – one of Canada’s finest restaurants and a pioneer in sustainability. At Bishop’s, as he worked his way up to Sous Chef, Jeff further developed his deep appreciation for the importance of supporting local farmers and producers, a passion he ingrained into the philosophy of Aurora Bistro, where he built a reputation as a leader in local, sustainable cuisine that was prepared elegantly and with a respect for the ingredients.

After closing Aurora Bistro in 2008, Jeff worked as the Executive Sous Chef at the Diva at the Met until 2010. It was always Jeff’s goal to raise his family in a small town, so Jeff moved to the Okanagan in the summer of 2010 and began researching local farmers and producers. Now heading the kitchen at Miradoro, Jeff is truly in his element – his passion for fresh local products fuelled by B.C’s best fruit and vegetable growing region.

Chef Jeff Twitter: @Quintoquorto
Chef Jeff Instagram @chefjeffvg1

 

Miradoro Restaurant

About Miradoro Restaurant
At Miradoro Restaurant the Mediterranean-influenced wine country cuisine showcases the region’s finest ingredients alongside the award-winning wines of Tinhorn Creek Vineyards. Perched on the picturesque winery estate on the famed Golden Mile, the destination restaurant offers stunning views of the South Okanagan Valley. Its unique design seamlessly integrates a modern look with the natural landscape and the more traditional design of Tinhorn Creek’s winery and barrel cellar. The 4,000-square-foot space features 65 seats indoors and 65 seats outdoors on a wraparound deck, ample use of natural woods and cork creates a room that is simple, elegant — and lets the food, wine and view be the stars of the show.

 

Miradoro Restaurant is open for lunch daily from 11:30am–3:00pm, for tapas from 3:00pm-5:30pm and for dinner from 5:30pm–9:00pm. For more information, please call 250-498-3742 or visit www.miradoro.ca.

 

miradoro Dining Area 1

 

Communal Table Dinner Series
The Communal Table Dinner Series returns on April 5 with the first theme Spanish Tapas which will feature a selection of many small plates, including olives, anchovies, croquettas and jamon, inspired by the famous bar food of Spain.

 

Held at Miradoro Restaurant at 6:30pm on Tuesdays from March to May, the Communal Table brings together locals and visitors to celebrate regional food and wine; featuring fare that is local, rustic, simple, straightforward and seasonal. Reservations are required. $30

 

Hops, Grapes & Grub – April 29 
Chef Jeff and his team take on the challenge of creating a 3-course dinner and pairing each course with a Tinhorn Creek wine AND a beer from Cannery Brewing. Enjoy the company of friends and family while you dine family style at Miradoro’s famous Communal Table dinner.

 

Tickets are $85 (all inclusive). Seating is limited, reservations are recommended.
Miradoro Facebook: @MiradoroRestaurant
Miradoro Twitter: @MiradoroResto
Miradoro Instagram: @miradororesto

Featured image courtesy of hendersona980

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