DDC Week 3: Venison with Celery Root Fries
Celery root fries and venison backstrap
Celery root (Celeriac) is perhaps—and I’m not exaggerating—my favorite vegetable ever. It tastes slightly of celery or maybe something else. It’s silky and smooth, but provides the same comfort satisfaction of potatoes. But it’s not a starch, so it doesn’t cause the bellyache that potatoes often cause for me.
The only downside is that it’s very expensive. Even in season, it’s usually $3/lb. So it’s definitely a treat. Rick is going to try to grow it this year, but that’s a ways away.
Celeriac in all its knobby glory.
When I was at MOM’s the other day shopping for my SOLE cookies, I saw that local Celeriac was on sale for the low price of $3.99/lb. I grabbed two beautiful, knobby bulbs. They ended up weighing 4 lbs. You do the math. Rather than have a heart attack when I saw the price, I decided to give myself an extra special treat. Celery root fries.
I pulled a lovely venison backstrap out the freezer to have with it. That I thought I’d pan fry, then deglaze the pan with organic red wine and sauté a local red onion I got at the Maple Avenue Market a few weeks ago. I’ve been taking classes at Rouxbe online cooking school
Recipe: Pepper Crusted Venison Medallions
Summary: pan frying keeps the outside crusty and the inside tender…a great combo.
Ingredients
- 1 venison tenderloin (backstrap)
- 1 Tbs black peppercorns
- 1 Tbs course sea salt
- 1 Tbs peanut oil
- 1/4 cup organic red wine
- 1/2 red onion, sliced
Instructions
- Dry the meat with a paper towel.
- Coarsely crush the salt and peppercorns in a mortar, or use a pre-made pepper steak rub.
- Rub the backstrap with the salt/pepper mixture.
- Preheat a saute pan over medium to medium-high heat.
- Once the pan is hot, add the oil and heat it, then add the venison.
- Keep an eye on the meat to make sure it doesn’t smoke. If the pan seems to get too hot, remove it from the burner until the heat lowers.
- After about four minutes, turn the backstrap over. Turn the heat to medium-low, to avoid burning the bits on the bottom of the pan (sucs)—if you want to deglaze and make a sauce, you don’t want these burnt.
- Continue to cook for about four more minutes, until the venison is slightly firm when you press down on it. The time will depend on the thickness of your meat.
- When done, remove the meat to a plate and cover to keep it warm.
- Add the wine to the pan and scrap all the bits off the bottom.
- After about a minute, add the onions. Saute until tender.
Preparation time: 3 minute(s)
Cooking time: 15 minute(s)
Diet tags: High protein, Gluten free
Number of servings (yield): 2
Copyright © Susan Rose.
, and I’ve finally learned how to pan fry. It’s a revelation!
I was going to make this feast Friday night. I thought Rick would be out hunting and I’d give myself a treat. Instead, he stayed home and made a gorgeous stuffed backstrap medallion dinner for me. How lucky am I? But I had to wait for the dinner I’d been dreaming about.
Sunday evening Rick was feeling sick and didn’t want dinner. Poor boy. But since I knew he wouldn’t eat the celery root fries, I was secretly happy to have the opportunity to make my meal. It was worth the wait.
Celery root fries. Yum.
Recipe: Celery Root Fries
Summary: the satisfaction of French Fries without the calories and starch
Ingredients
- Celery root bulb
- Peanut oil (for paleo-friedly fries, use coconut or palm oil)
- Salt
Instructions
- Slice the outer skin off of the celery root.
- Slice the celery root into 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices (however you like your French fries).
- Heat a thick stock pot over medium high heat.
- Add enough peanut oil to have about an inch depth in the pan. Let the oil heat until it sizzles when you add a drop of water.
- Carefully add the celery root fries to the hot oil. Don’t crowd the pan…if you need to do this in batches, warm the oven and keep the cooked fries in it.
- Keep an eye on the fries; how long they need to cook will depend on how large they are. The fries pictures took about 3 minutes per side.
- Once the first side is brown, flip the fries over.
- Remove from oil and place on a paper towel on a plate.
- Salt to taste.
Preparation time: 5 minute(s)
Cooking time: 6 minute(s)
Diet tags: Reduced carbohydrate, Gluten free
My rating
Copyright © Susan Rose.
Recipe: Pepper Crusted Venison
Summary: Crusty on the outside, tender on the inside.
Ingredients
- venison tenderloin (backstrap)
- 1 Tbs black peppercorns
- 1 Tbs course sea salt
- 1 Tbs peanut oil
- 1/4 cup organic red wine
- 1/2 red onion
Instructions
- Dry the venison with a paper towel.
- Coarsely crush the salt and peppercorns in a mortar, or use a pre-made pepper steak rub.
- Rub the meat with the salt/pepper mixture.
- Preheat a saute pan over medium to medium-high heat.
- Once the pan is hot, add the oil and heat it. Then add the venison.
- Keep an eye on the meat to make sure it doesn’tt smoke. If the pan seems to get too hot, remove it from the burner until the heat lowers.
- After about four minutes, turn the steaks over. Turn the heat to medium-low, to avoid burning the bits on the bottom of the pan (sucs)—if you want to deglaze and make a sauce, you don’t want these burnt.
- Continue to cook for about four minutes, until the venison is slightly firm when you press down on it. The time will depend on the thickness of your meat.
- When done, remove the meat to a plate and cover.
- Add the wine to the pan and scrape the bits and pieces for one minute.
- Add the onion and saute until tender.
Preparation time: 5 minute(s)
Cooking time: 15 minute(s)
Diet tags: High protein, Gluten free
Number of servings (yield): 2
Copyright © Susan Rose.
Posted in What's Cooking | 
Tags: Dark Days Challenge, food source, local food, low carb, paleo, seasonal produce, SOLE, vension
8 Responses to “DDC Week 3: Venison with Celery Root Fries”
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Susan – your special meal looks wonderful. I have not experimented with celeriac at all. I just added it to my list of things to grow. After seeing your celeriac fries, I must try to grow it now. Hope Rick is feeling better. Sincerely, Emily
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[...] (VA) from Backyard Grocery made two meals to share. Susan treated herself to some local celeriac (very most favorite [...]
Wow! I’m always on the lookout for venison recipes, as the Hubs is a deer hunter. We get tired of eating it the same ol way all the time. This looks fabulous, but sadly, last night we cut up the final two tenderloins from a deer he killed last Thursday into tenderloin steaks. Wish I’d left one whole!
Oh it’s always a sad day when the last of the venison tenderloins are gone. You’ll find plenty of venison recipes here, and at my site that is actually dedicated to venison—Great Venison Cooking. In the meantime, I think hubs should get back in a tree and get his woman some meat!
[...] Slice the backstrap into medallions and pan fry (click here for a tutorial on that). [...]