This delicious venison and vegetable soup is an all-year favorite with guests at Jardiniere. Chock full of vegetables and herbs, it’s light enough to enjoy in the summer, and the rich red meat from the Cervena makes it lusty enough to serve in cooler seasons.
Makes 3 quarts, serves 6
Venison:
4 Cervena venison shanks
salt and pepper
olive oil
2 whole heads garlic, sliced in half horizontally
2 large onions, peeled and sliced
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
4 celery stalks, washed and sliced
2 large tomatoes, cored and quartered
2 quarts good quality chicken stock
herb sachet: thyme, rosemary, bay leaf
Soup Vegetables:
3 large onions, peeled and diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 fennel bulbs, diced
2 large zucchini, diced
kernels from 2 large ears of corn
1 pound fresh green beans, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
4 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons chopped thyme
2 tablespoons chopped rosemary
1 cup cooked pasta, such as seme di melone or orzo
Pistou:
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
3 peeled garlic cloves
1 cup tarragon leaves
1 cup parsley leaves
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Season venison shanks generously with salt and pepper. In heavy, high-sided roasting pan over medium heat, add some olive oil and brown the shanks evenly on all sides. Remove the meat from the pan. Add the garlic, onion, carrots and celery to the pan and lightly saute. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock and herb sachet. Season to taste and bring mixture to boil. Add venison shanks in a single layer, reduce heat to low simmer and cover with foil. Place in the oven and cook for approximately 2 hours or until very tender.
While the venison is braising, prepare the soup vegetables. In large saute pan over medium heat, saute onion, carrots and fennel until soft in olive oil. Then add zucchini, corn kernels and green beans, cooking for 4 to 5 minutes more. Add diced tomatoes, chopped herbs and cooked pasta, stirring well to coat with oil. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Allow to cool and set aside.
To make the pistou, place pine nuts, peeled garlic cloves, tarragon and parsley leaves, and the 1/2 cup olive oil in blender and puree for 3 minutes; mixture should be consistency of grain mustard. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary. Set aside until ready to serve.
When the shanks are done, remove them from the broth and set aside. Strain braising broth, discarding solids. Let broth settle and skim all fat. Pick meat from shank bones, discarding bones and return meat to broth. Measure amount of broth and add chicken stock or water to bring quantity to 2 quarts.
In a large pot over medium heat, bring the broth and venison meat to a simmer. Stir in the soup vegetables and pasta mixture. Cook gently for a few minutes until warmed through. Readjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Ladle soup into large wide bowls and garnish by floating a large spoon of pistou on top of each bowl of soup. Serve with slices of crusty rustic bread.
Recipe by: Chef Robbie Lewis, Jardiniere, San Francisco