Venison ragout with porcini mushrooms

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 600 g venison (boneless shoulder)
• 1 bunch of soup vegetables
• 1 small garlic clove(s)
• 4 juniper berries
• 8 grains of black pepper
• ¼ tsp rosemary, chopped needles
• ¼ tsp thyme, dried
• ¼ liter wine, red, strong
• 3 cl brandy
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 25 g porcini mushrooms, dried
• 200 g shallot(s), small
• 30 g clarified butter
• Salt, freshly ground white
• 125 ml Game stock
• 2 tbsp crème fraîche
• 2 tbsp parsley, freshly chopped

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Rest time approx. 13 hours; Total time approx. 14 hours

Wash the meat thoroughly, pat dry, and skin if necessary. Cut into bite-sized cubes and place in an earthenware bowl. Trim, wash, and finely dice the vegetables. Peel and quarter the garlic clove. Lightly crush the juniper berries and peppercorns in a mortar. Mix with the vegetables, garlic, rosemary, and thyme into the meat. Mix 1/8 l red wine with 1 tbsp oil. Pour over the meat and cover. Add the porcini mushrooms to 1/4 l water. Let both stand overnight (about 12 hours). Peel the shallots. Remove the porcini mushrooms from the soaking liquid, drain, and roughly chop. Strain the soaking liquid through a filter paper and set aside. Remove the meat from the marinade and carefully pat dry with kitchen paper, removing all spices. Strain the marinade, firmly squeezing out the contents of the sieve, and set aside. Heat the clarified butter in a casserole dish. Add the shallots and fry on all sides over low heat until softened. Then remove. Add the meat to the fat and fry for about 10 minutes, turning frequently. Then remove, season with salt and pepper. Brown the contents of the sieve vigorously in the frying fat. Pour in the mushroom liquid, the marinade, the remaining wine, and the game stock. Bring everything to a boil in an uncovered pot over high heat until reduced by one-third. Pour the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into another pot. Add the crème fraîche and bring to a boil while stirring. Season with salt and pepper. Heat the meat, shallots, and mushrooms in the sauce. Serve sprinkled with parsley. Tip: Old Viennese bread dumplings go best with this dish.