With hunting season drawing to a close here in Sweden, this week’s recipe puts elk on the menu! Although originally from Africa, this recipe is perfect for the Swedish dinner plate.
What you need:
2 Elk tenderloins, about 225-300 g each
2 packets bacon
120 ml button mushrooms, sliced
1 tbsp Grey Poupon mustard
1 large onion, diced
1 large red bell pepper, diced
120 ml brown stock (oxfilé or veal is fine)
45 ml brandy
2 garlic cloves, crushed
fresh thyme, minced – set a few sprigs aside for garnish
ground black pepper
butter
What you do:
Remove any silverskin from the tenderloins and rub the meat with the crushed garlic. Sprinkle with thyme and black pepper, then wrap the bacon slices around the meat (use toothpicks or string to secure). Melt the butter in a hot frying pan (add a dash of cooking oil to prevent the butter burning) and add the meat, sautéing until the bacon is cooked. Make sure the tenderloins are not cooked past medium rare, as they will get dry.
Remove the meat from the pan and pour off any excess grease. Add the onion and pepper for about 30 seconds, then add the sliced mushrooms and sauté until tender. Add the brandy and reduce. If you have a gas stove you can flame the brandy but be careful! It flares. Once the alcohol is cooked out of the brandy (give it the smell test) add the brown gravy and mustard, stirring until the mixture is smooth.
Slice the tenderloins and place on a warmed platter. Pour over a bit of the sauce, with the rest going into a gravy boat. Top the meat with a few sprigs of thyme. Serve with wild rice, rice pilaf or perhaps some mash along with a green vegetable or salad and you’ve got yourself a hearty, delicious meal! Smaklig måltid!
Judi Lembke
Judi Lembke is an experienced editor and writer who, when not shackled to her computer, enjoys reading, cooking and sometimes watching embarrassingly bad reality TV. Judi also works with communications and thinks coming up with clever ideas is about as much fun as one can have without taking off one’s clothes.
