A Valentine's Day Recipe
Feb-13-2010

Hickory Bacon Wrapped Venison Filet with Blackberry Valrhona Chocolate Sauce
Stolen with permission from Chef Scott Campbell of New Leaf Restaurant & Bar, this Valentine's feast is perfect for you and your valentine to entertain the couple of your choice, or you can simply halve the ingredients for a romantic feast for two.

New Leaf Restaurant & Bar is housed in a secluded architectural gem, which was discovered sorely in need of renovation, by the New York Restoration Project's (NYRP's) Founder Bette Midler as she and her friends undertook their clean-up and restoration of Fort Tryon Park in 1995. In 2001, NYRP was able to assume management of the establishment, (which was formerly operated as a New York City Parks concession) and within a few short years, transform the New Leaf into an acclaimed fine-dining destination.

Located in Northern Manhattan's Fort Tryon Park, just a short walk from The Cloisters museum & gardens and adjacent to the neighboring communities of Washington Heights and Inwood, the restaurant offers a unique experience in an urban, forested setting. Inside the historic 1930s vintage stone building, patrons can enjoy brunch, lunch or dinner in the cottage-like dining room, or on the outdoor patio while the menu comprises seasonal modern American food, drawing inspiration from local green markets, upstate New York farms and New York City's community gardens featuring only the freshest, all-natural produce.

About the chef: Executive Chef Campbell is an alumnus of several high profile New York City restaurants including Le Cirque, the Oak Room of the Plaza Hotel, Union Square Caf� and the uptown Sfuzzi. He is a James Beard Foundation Rising Star of American Cuisine and co-chair of its Chefs' Round Table and brings more than 20 years of distinguished culinary experience to the New Leaf.

New Leaf Restaurant & Bar
One Margaret Corbin Drive
Fort Tryon Park
New York, NY 10040
212 568 5323

Hickory Bacon Wrapped Venison Filet with Blackberry Valrhona Sauce is served at New Leaf Restaurant & Bar for $34.

This recipe makes 4 restaurant servings.

Hickory Bacon Wrapped Venison Filet with Blackberry Valrhona Sauce Ingredients:
2 pounds venison filet
8 ounces hickory smoked bacon strips
2 ounces cocoa nibs
Salt, Maldon sea salt if possible, to taste
Black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
1 ounce extra virgin olive oil, plus an additional tablespoon
16 ounces red wine
2 ounces port wine
1 ounce orange zest
4 ounces shallots, sliced
8 ounces venison stock reduction
1 ounce Valrhona Le Noir 68% Chocolate
4 ounces blackberries
12 ounces chanterelles, cleaned
8 ounces baby Tokyo turnips, blanched
1/4 cup chestnuts, cleaned, braised
1 1/2 ounce sweet butter
1 teaspoon chives, sliced thinly
1 ounce micro beet greens
1 ounce micro purple shiso
Twine

Steal This Recipe� Step by Step Instructions:
Wrap the bacon around venison filet seasoned with cocoa nibs and secured with twine.
Pour the red wine, port, orange zest, shallots, bay leaf and thyme into a saucepot and reduce to 1/8 original volume.
Mix the venison stock reduction with the wine reduction in a saucepot and reduce until desired sauce consistency; then strain.
Add the butter and Valrhona chocolate to sauce and mix until completely incorporated.
Next, add the blackberries to the sauce and set aside.
Add the olive oil to saut� pan on a high heat, letting the oil reach its smoking point, and add the venison. Keep cooking the venison, searing it on all sides until reaching desired done-ness and add the bacon until it is crisped.
When finished rest venison for 3 to 5 minutes and remove the twine.
In the meantime saut� chanterelles with the blanched Tokyo turnips and chestnuts in butter and finish with chives, season to taste, and plate equally.
Cut the venison filet into medallions and plate and sauce equally.
Garnish venison with micro beet and purple shiso greens and olive oil.

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