Game Time
Nothing signifies the change of the season more for me than when I start to see wild game appear on local restaurant menus. Robust in flavor, and a bit more firm in texture, game is at its best when paired with roasted winter root vegetables and a full-bodied wine. We’ve asked some of our local chefs to share their favorite ways of preparing these wild and delicious creatures.
— Terryl Gavre, photography by Vincent Knakal and Alan Linn

Pan Fried Venison Chop, Roasted Pumpkin, Spaghetti Squash, Red Rice and Chestnut, and Red Wine Sauce by executive chef Pascal Vignau of Savory in Encinitas

OCTOBER RECIPES

Venison Chop with Spaghetti Squash, Chestnut Red Rice & Dried Fig Port Sauce
By executive chef Pascal Vignau of Savory in Encinitas

Ingredients:
2 six-oz venison chops
1 spaghetti squash
1/2 cup dried figs
3 cups red rice cooked
1 cup toasted cooked chestnuts
1/2 cup chopped shallots
4 tbsp butter
olive oil
4 oz red wine
4 oz port wine
2 cups veal or beef stock

Preparation:
In a hot pan, place the seasoned chops and some butter. Sear for approximately five minutes on each side, ensuring the chop does not burn. (If a more cooked chop is preferred, place in the oven for 7-10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Split the squash and scrape out the seeds. Place face down on a baking tray with a little water and bake until tender, approximately 30 minutes at 350 degrees. When cooled, scrape out the meat using a fork and set aside.

Chop the chestnuts and sauté in some butter. Add shallots and the cooked rice. Season with a splash of wine and salt and pepper.

Soak the figs in the port wine until plump. Remove and cut in half. Reduce the wine over a low heat until there is half as much remaining. Add the stock and reduce again by half. Add the figs and season to taste.

Sauté the squash with some olive oil and season. With everything hot, assemble the plate to your liking and pour the sauce over the chop.

Note: If the sauce is too loose, add a small amount of corn starch.

Serves 2

Tenderloin of Bison, Mesquite Grilled Bison Sausage, Tomato Confit Tart
By executive chef Carl Schroeder at Market Restaurant + Bar

Ingredients for the tenderloin:
5 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
4 tbsp dried oregano
1/4 bunch thyme, stemmed
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
6 6-oz bison tenderloins
salt and pepper

Preparation:
In a large container, combine garlic, oregano, thyme, oil, and vinegar, and mix well. Add steaks, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

Ingredients for the sauce:
2 quarts veal stock
3/4 cup red wine
2 tbsp butter
salt and pepper

Preparation:
In a large saucepan, simmer until stock is reduced by half. Add red wine and continue to reduce to a sauce consistency. Whisk in 2 tbsp butter, salt, and pepper. Finish with herbs.

Ingredients for the sausage:
1 lb bison shoulder meat, cubed
1 oz pork butt, cubed
1 oz bacon, cubed
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp chopped rosemary
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tbsp ice water
1/2 onion, peeled, chopped and sautéed until golden brown
1 head garlic, roasted salt
hog casings (available from your butcher)

Preparation:
In a bowl, combine the meat and fat with the dry ingredients and chill. Grind meat mixture through the fine plate of a meat grinder. Place mixture in a bowl and add remaining ingredients. Mix by hand until combined. Cook a small amount of the mixture in a sauté pan until desired doneness. Adjust seasonings accordingly. Using a sausage press, fill hog casings with the meat and twist off at 3 inches. Poach sausages in a saucepan until they reach an internal temperature of 150 degrees. Set aside keeping cool.

For tomato confit tarts:
péte brisçe
10 oz bread flour
6 oz cake flour
1 tbsp salt
6 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
2 oz lard, room temperature
1 egg
3 tbsp ice water
1 tsp lemon juice

Combine flour, salt, butter, and lard with a pastry blender until consistency is coarse and fat is well combined. Add egg, ice water, and lemon juice. Roll out on a non-stick surface. Fill tart molds and bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes until lightly brown.

21/2 lbs plum tomatoes, quartered, seeds removed
4 thyme sprigs
3 garlic cloves minced
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp coarse sea salt

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.

Oil a rimmed baking sheet and place tomatoes cut side up on the sheet. Bake at 300 degrees for 45 minutes, and turn and bake for another hour. Allow to cool and remove skins. When meats are ready, assemble tarts and serve at room temperature.

To finish:
Prepare a hot grill. Remove steaks from marinade and season with salt and pepper. Place steaks and sausages on grill and cook to desired doneness. Remove from grill and slice.

Trio of Duck with Smoked Duck Breast, Duck Confit Ravioli, Seared Foie Gras, Braised Artichoke, Taggiasca Olives, and Parmesan Broth
By chef Jim Phillips at Pamplemousse Grille in Del Mar

Ingredients:
2 raw duck breasts
kosher salt
black pepper
ground allspice
grape seed oil
pre-cooked duck leg confit (or 2 fresh duck legs cured in garlic, thyme, rosemary, and basil)
1 cup shallots
2 cups Madeira
2 cups veal stock
21/2 oz Boursin cheese
2 oz grated Reggiano cheese

pasta sheets
1 egg
foie gras
1 36-count artichoke
chicken stalk
fennel
onions
parsley
garlic
white wine
olive oil
fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
chicken broth (Trader Joe's has a good one)
rinds of Reggiano cheese
pearl onions
taggiasca olives
pea-cut and steamed yellow and green zucchini and carrots

Preparation for the smoked duck breast:
Take two raw Duck Breasts, season with kosher salt, black pepper, and ground allspice. Smoke over your favorite smoking chips for 45 minutes, being careful not to cook the duck breast (Use ice in a hot smoker.) After Smoking, sear in hot pan with grape seed oil until well browned and finish in a 425-degree oven for three minutes. Let rest until ready to assemble plate.

Preparation for the duck confit ravioli:
This is an all-day project at best. If you can find pre-cooked duck leg confit, buy it! If not, you would cure the fresh duck legs (2) in herbs (garlic, thyme, rosemary, and basil) overnight. The next day, remove the herbs, salt and pepper the duck legs, submerge in duck fat, and cook at 300 degrees for 21/2 hours in the oven or use a crock-pot on low and cook all day (until the meat nearly falls off the bone). Sauté 1 cup of sliced shallots and reduce in 2 cups of Madeira until almost dry. Add 2 cups veal stock and reduce until liquid is about 3/4 cup. Add the duck confit (meat only, no bones, cartilage, or skin) to this mixture and stir well. Add 21/2 oz Boursin cheese and 2 oz grated Reggiano cheese. Make the raviolis (8) by cutting 13/4-inch circles of pasta sheets. Brush with a beaten egg, place 11/2 tbsp of duck confit mix in the center, and cover with 2-inch pasta circles. Press closed around the edges with fingertips. Poach the raviolis in salted water until they float. Remove and keep warm for plate assembly.

Preparation for the foie gras:
Slice the foie gras into four 1/2-inch thick pieces. Score the foie gras pieces in criss-cross patterns with the back of a pairing knife, and season with kosher salt and black pepper. Sear scored side down in hot pan until brown. Turn over and baste for one minute and reserve warm.

Preparation for the braised artichoke:
Trim a 36-count artichoke leaving the stem. Trim well, cutting off most of the leaves, leaving the center leaves only. Braise in chicken stalk with fennel, onions, parsley, garlic, white wine, olive oil, fresh thyme, and bay leaf. Braise covered in the oven at 300 degrees for 11/2 hours or until tender.

Preparation for the Parmesan broth:
Make a standard chicken broth or purchase it (Trader Joe's has a good one). Reduce 1 quart by half (16 oz). Turn off flame and add the rinds of the Reggiano cheese. Let steep for 30 minutes on the smallest flame possible. Strain through fine mesh.

To assemble the dish:
In the center of a large bowl, stand artichoke upside-down pushing leaves into bowl bottom. Put down 2 raviolis, sliced duck breast, and fan four pieces over raviolis. Add seared foie gras. Top with pearl onions, and then add 2 oz of broth, Taggiasca olives, and pea-cut and steamed yellow and green zucchini and carrots. Enjoy!

Serves 4

Wild Boar Baby Back Ribs with Pomegranate and Port
By executive chef Paul McCabe at L'Auberge Del Mar Resort and Spa in Del Mar

Ingredients for the racks:
6 racks of wild boar
6 cloves of garlic
3 bay leaves

Preparation:
Divide the ingredients between three vacuum-sealed bags and remove all of the oxygen.
Place in a sous vide bath at 100 degrees Celsius and cook for 12 hours.

Ingredients for the dry rub:
1 tbsp salt
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp smoked paprika
2 tsp star anise, ground
2 tsp cardamom, ground
2 tsp garlic, granulated
1 tsp ginger, ground

Combine all ingredients and set aside.

Ingredients for the sauce:
2 cups port
1 cup pomegranate juice
1/4 lb butter

Preparation:
Place the port and juice in a saucepot and reduce until a syrup has formed.
Whisk in the butter, season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

For the presentation:
Remove the ribs for the bag and dry with a towel. Toss the ribs in the dry rub and place on a hot grill and cook until hot all the way through. Place a pool of sauce in the middle of the dinner plate and top with the ribs and enjoy!