Fresh, Wild, Caribou

Caribou has been difficult to find these past few years but I bought some at Northern Fancy Meats the other day so I could cook it up for my brother, who was visiting from Ontario. It's a bit pricey but sooooo delicious! And Chris, your dad wanted me to point out to you that caribou contains less fat and calories than beef and is a great source of protein and other nutrients.

This is how I prepared it.

Caribou Loin with a Red Wine, Red Currant 

Dark Chocolate Reduction

6 pieces caribou loin, about 4 oz each

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp butter

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 tbsp shallots, minced

1 cup cabernet sauvignon

1 tbsp red currant jelly

1 oz dark chocolate

1 tbsp unsalted cold butter, cut into cubes

Salt and pepper to taste

Pat the caribou loin dry with a paper towel. Season both sides with salt and pepper

Heat a medium size pan, add the olive oil, and add the caribou when the oil is hot. Cook for about 4 minutes or until nicely browned. Turn the caribou, add the butter and thyme sprigs and cook another 3 or 4 minutes, basting occasionally with the butter. When they are cooked about medium rare, remove them from the pan and cover loosely with foil. Let them rest for 5 minutes.

Add the shallots to the hot pan and sauté lightly. Deglaze the pan with the cabernet sauvignon and reduce the wine to 1/2 cup (half of the original amount) then reduce the heat to low.

Add red currant jelly and chocolate and whisk in until it melts. Whisk the cubes of cold butter into the sauce a bit at a time, blending the butter in smoothly. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place a bit of sauce on the plate, place goat cheese mashed potatoes on top of the sauce and carrots beside the potatoes. Slice a piece of caribou and place it on the potatoes.

Eat it up!

Serves 6