Jerk Reindeer with Brown Stew Mushrooms

Yield: 4 – 6 servings, as a small main

Ingredients:

Jerk Reindeer:

• 10 ½ ounce (300 g) boneless caribou (reindeer) leg roast
• 1 tablespoon (2.5 cm) ginger, grated
• 1 cups (470 ml) chopped scallion
• 2 Scotch bonnet chilies
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh thyme, leaves only
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) ground pimento (allspice)
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) nutmeg, ground
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) cinnamon, ground
• 3 tablespoons (30 ml) soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) rum
• 3 tablespoon (15 ml) white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) brown sugar
• 5 garlic cloves
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 1 lime, juice only
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Maggi sauce
• Salt and pepper

Brown Stew Mushrooms:

• ¼ cup (60 ml) ketchup
• 2 cups (470 ml) small chanterelle mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed of long stems
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 inch (2.5 cm) piece ginger, sliced
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 1 ½ cups (360 ml) chicken demi-glace
• ½ cup (120 ml) veal demi-glace
• 4 sprigs thyme, leaves only, chopped
• 1 ½ teaspoons (7.5 ml) ground pimento (allspice)
• ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) prepared browning sauce
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) prepared Scotch bonnet hot sauce
• Salt
• Oil, for cooking

 Burnt Root:

• 4 3-inch (7.5 cm) pieces salsify root, peeled and held in lemon water
• 1 ¼ cups (300 ml) coconut water
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) turmeric
• Salt

Method:

For the Jerk Reindeer:

In a food processor, combine ginger, scallion, Scotch bonnet, thyme, allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, soy sauce, rum, salt, vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, onion, lime, and Maggi, season with salt and process until smooth.

Cover the roast with jerk paste and marinate for 4-6 hours or up to overnight.

For the Brown Stew Mushrooms:

In a small pot, caramelize ketchup until brown. Remove from heat and set aside.

Heat a small amount of cooking oil in a medium pan over high heat, add the mushrooms, season with salt, and sear until they lose their water and start to brown. Remove mushrooms from pan and reserve.

In the same pan, reduce heat to medium-low, add a bit more oil, then the onions, garlic, ginger, tomato, and thyme. Season with salt and cover. Sweat for 10-12 minutes until the onions are translucent and liquid has evaporated.

Add pimento, chicken demi-glace, veal demi-glace, pepper, browning, and hot sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 30 minutes until thick, dark, and glossy.

Strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer and return to the pot. Add the caramelized ketchup and adjust the salt. Whisk to combine.

Keep warm.

For the Burnt Root:

Bring coconut water up to a gentle simmer and add turmeric. Add salsify root and poach until tender, around 45 minutes. Remove from the coconut water. Season with salt and blowtorch half of the length. Keep warm.

To Finish:

Grill Reindeer roast over high heat, flipping often, until internal temperature reaches 130 F (54 C). Remove from heat and rest for 5 minutes, Slice ¾ inch (2 cm) thick.

While the roast is resting, return the mushrooms to the brown stew gravy to reheat.

Swirl a thin line of sauce from the Brown Stew Mushrooms around the middle of a large white plate. Place a slice of the leg roast over the sauce, near the middle, with the cut side up to show off the colour.

Place 5 chanterelles to the left of the sliced roast, some stems pointing up. Coat with sauce.

Place the Burnt Root over the line of sauce behind the roast, leaving empty space in the middle of the swirl.