11/2008
Kathy
Venison on Delaware
Bill called with a proposition. “Help me put together a dinner party, and I’ll be your best friend.” Bill lives in an historic mansion on the river―a gorgeous old place with lovely gardens and a lawn that sweeps down to the riverbank. He’s a horticulturalist – a landscaper who knows his plants, not a ‘mulch and mow’ guy. He has a10-burner stove I would consider remodeling my entire house for.
The plan―venison. Bill had been given a deer by a local hunter. We got on the internet and started emailing ideas and recipes… venison seared with blackberry reduction, venison roasted with juniper berries, venison in every way imaginable.
Honestly, Bill is a very good cook. He really didn’t need me. I think I was a safety net. (My true purpose was the table setting. For me, a lovely table really kicks up the action a notch.) Bill was concerned about the venison. If you cook it to long, it can get gamey. If you don’t cook it long enough, it’s tough. A quandary. We decided it would have to be long, slow cooking.
We started planning… who to invite, how to seat them, what to serve with the venison, how to tackle the logistics. Whew. The plan was for about 17 people. We would have to set tables diagonally across the room. Due to mansion rules, we were using the servants quarters—a rustic ambiance. The room had an old wood stove at one end and not much else. We set a simple table, white table cloth, a line of fruits and flowers down the middle and candles, of course.
Bill had marinated the roast overnight in a hearty red wine with some spices. The meat was purple when we transferred it to the roasting pan, adding beef broth, more red wine, onions, parsnips, carrots and fresh herbs to the pan for the roast. We were set to serve a roasted squash soup, a vegetable risotto, roasted Brussels sprouts with carmelized shallots, and fresh bread. For dessert, an apple cake.
Twas quite an evening… We wanted the guests to have a chance to enjoy the view, so we started with cheese, fruit and wine just before sunset. It was chilly, but we trundled down to the lawn to see the river and the view of Delanco across. We walked the grounds a bit and enjoyed the waning light.
Then it was into the house for more wine and a lively, social dinner party by candelight. Everyone mixed and mingled, we laughed, shared stories and really did not want the evening to end.
A postscript. Bill and I work very well together in a kitchen. We did a second venison dinner in December when the Italians were in town. This one featured white polenta (by Melchiorre) instead of risotto and a gorgeous panna cotta (by Paola). Again, an evening worth repeating.
