Elk Backstrap, Hen of the Woods Mushrooms & Homemade Spaetzle
This is a riff of wild flavor on a classical dish! While I used elk in this recipe, feel free to use any tender wild or domestic protein! My Canadian Carnivore seasoning has all the big bold flavor you need to please your hungry crew and is great on all seared meats which pair perfectly with the California red wine used to make the sauce. Adding my Party Fowl seasoning into the Spaetzle
Elk Backstrap
1lb backstrap cut in 1″ cubes
HuntChef Canadian Carnivore, don’t be shy with it! as needed canola oil
Hen of the Woods Mushrooms about 2 cups, wash them well and rough chop
1/2 sweet onion, sliced thin
3ea cloves garlic, sliced thin
2T whole butter
Spaetzle
1/2T parsley, chopped
1.5 cups all purpose flour
1.5T HuntChef Party Fowl seasoning
3 whole large eggs
3 quarts boiling salted water
Sherry Sauce
3/4cup Sherry wine
1cup red wine
1.5cup wild game or chicken broth
4T sour cream
1T whole butter
1cup green onions, thin sliced
1t fresh rosemary, chopped 1t fresh thyme, chopped
Method
- have your 3 quarts of salted water simmering once all ingredients are prepped.
- season elk and allow to marinate for half an hour.
- place all ingredients for the noodles in a bowl and mix til combined. the consistency should be slightly pourable. allow to rest.
- place a large saute pan over medium high heat, add canola oil then elk and brown meat on all sides leaving it medium rare, then transfer elk to a bowl or plate to rest.
- return the pan to the same heat and add the 2T of whole butter. when melted add the mushrooms, onions and garlic then saute til cooked and nicely browned. remove to a bowl or plate to rest.
- return the pan to the high flame and get it hot then CAREFULLY pour in the sherry wine and catch it on fire to burn off the alcohol. **the alcohol flames will flare up 18 to 24 inches high so BE CAREFUL!!! Allow the flames to extinguish and the sherry to reduce to a slightly syrupy consistency then add the red wine- note, it will not catch fire lol – then again reduce it to the same consistency as the sherry. then add the broth, lower the heat and allow to simmer slowly.using a colander or strainer with large holes placed over the simmering water scrape in the noodle dough and push it through the holes into the water below. remove colander. stir spaetzle gently til all of it is floating then allow to cook for about two minutes then drain the spaetzle.
- add the elk, mushrooms and spaetzle to the saute pan with the gently simmering broth and stir well. remove pan from the heat and stir in the sour cream, 1T of whole butter, sliced green onions and chopped herbs.pour the pan onto a platter or bowl, garnish with more green onions and a few dollops of sour cream then dig in and #EATWHATYOUKILL!!!
