Venison Paillarde with Artichoke Salad and Anchovy Mayo
By Andrew Zimmern
In this episode of Wild Game Kitchen, I’m going to demo two distinct approaches to cooking venison. First, I’m going to make an easy venison paillarde — tenderloin medallions pounded thin, quickly grilled to a perfect medium-rare, and topped with shaved baby artichokes, fresh basil, and parmesan. Then, I’m diving into an Eastern European tradition with my take on bigos, Poland’s legendary “hunter’s stew” — venison and kielbasa braised with chanterelles, sauerkraut, and fire-roasted peppers in a soul-warming dish that gets better with each passing hour. Accompanied by mustard-dressed grilled leeks and coal-roasted potatoes, this is a meal you’ll want to make over and over again.
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Grilled Venison Paillarde
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon minced shallot
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup minced herbs (parsley, thyme, mint, rosemary, tarragon, chives etc.)
- 4 pieces venison tenderloin, about 6 ounces each
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 lemons, juice
- 12-16 baby artichokes
- 6 basil leaves, cut in a chiffonade
- 5 ounces Reggiano parmesan, shaved in thin strips with a vegetable peeler
- Grilled bread, for serving
Instructions
Prepare a grill for medium-high direct heat cooking.
In a mixing bowl, combine shallot, garlic and herbs.
Place each venison piece on a sheet of plastic wrap (or parchment paper). Drizzle each with a tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle a tablespoon or two of the herb mixture over the meat. Fold the plastic wrap over the meat. Pound the meat out to somewhere between a 1/4-inch to 1/8-inch thick. Repeat with remaining tenderloins. Set aside. You’ll want to get everything else ready before you grill your meat.
Pour a couple quarts of water into a large bowl and add the juice of one lemon. The acidulated water will help prevent the artichokes from browning. Trim the baby artichokes, slice in half and remove the choke. Then slice as thin as you can on a mandolin and place immediately in the lemon water.
Dry the artichokes in a salad spinner. Mix the artichokes with the basil, parmesan, remaining lemon juice and a little olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Drizzle a small amount of oil over each paillard. Grill over medium-high direct heat to medium rare, about 2 minutes on the first side and 15 seconds on the second side. Remove and let rest.
Place a handful of the salad on top of each paillarde. Dollop the anchovy mayo on the grilled bread. Serve right away.
Anchovy Mayo
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- 12 anchovies
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1/2 extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon, halved and charred on the grill
Using an immersion wand or blender, puree the egg yolks, mustard, anchovies and vinegar. With the machine running, add the canola oil in a thin stream to emulsify the sauce. Then, add the olive oil in a thin stream. Season with the charred lemon juice to taste.
