Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 4 tsp. canola oil 
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped 
  • 1 large shallot, chopped 
  • 1 small carrot, peeled and sliced 
  • 1 can (15 oz.) low-sodium, fat-free beef broth 
  • 1/2 cup cranberry juice 
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar 
  • 1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce 
  • 2 plum tomatoes, chopped 
  • 6 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs 
  • 3 cardamom pods, crushed 
  • 2 tsp. dried thyme 
  • 1 bay leaf 
  • 1 1/4 lb. venison tenderloin 
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries 
  • 1/3 cup ruby port 
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt 
  • Freshly ground pepper, to taste 
  • 2 Tbs. cold unsalted butter 

Instruction

  • In a saucepan over medium-high heat, warm 2 tsp. of the canola oil. Add the garlic, shallot and carrot and sauté until the shallot starts to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the broth, cranberry juice, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, tomatoes, parsley, cardamom, thyme and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and boil gently for 10 minutes. Let the marinade cool to room temperature.
  • Cut the venison crosswise into slices 1 inch thick. Place in a nonreactive bowl and pour in the cooled marinade, including the vegetables, herbs and spices. Cover and marinate the meat in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
  • When you are ready to cook the venison, place the cranberries in a bowl. Add the port and set aside until the fruit is plump, 20 to 30 minutes.
  • Set a sieve over a large bowl. Drain the meat into the sieve. Using tongs, remove the venison from the other solids, place it on a plate, cover and set aside. Using the back of a wooden spoon, press against the solids to extract as much of their juices as possible. Discard the solids. Reserve the liquid. Pat the meat dry with paper towels.
  • Preheat an oven to 200°F. In a large fry pan over medium-high heat, warm the remaining 2 tsp. canola oil. Arrange the meat in the pan in a single layer, leaving 1 inch between the pieces. (If you do not have a pan large enough, cook the meat in 2 batches.) Cook the venison, turning once, until browned on both sides, 10 to 12 minutes total. The venison should be pink in the center. Transfer the meat to a plate, tent loosely with aluminum foil and set it in the warm oven.
  • Pour the reserved marinade into the pan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up all the browned bits from the pan bottom. Boil until the liquid is reduced by one-third, about 10 minutes. Using a large, shallow spoon, skim off any foam that forms on the surface. Add the cranberries and any remaining port and cook until the liquid is reduced by one-fourth, about 5 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper. Remove from the heat. Cut the butter into 8 equal pieces. Add the butter to the liquid and whisk until melted and blended into the sauce, 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Divide the meat among warmed individual plates. Spoon an equal amount of the sauce over each serving, dividing the cranberries evenly as well. Serve immediately. Serves 4.
  • Adapted from Williams-Sonoma, <i>Essentials of Healthful Cooking</i>, by Mary Abbott Hess, Dana Jacobi & Marie Simmons (Oxmoor House, 2003).