This past summer we celebrated my birthday with a road trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Flagstaff, Arizona, visiting friends in both places. While in Santa Fe, we took in a couple of operas, the annual Santa Fe Indian Market and, of course, good meals — both at home and out. We then scooted across Route 66 to Flagstaff, Arizona, where the days started and ended with meal planning, cooking, sipping wine, and enjoying the beauty of the region. Two wonderful cities, great friends, superb weather, fantastic food… what else can a boy ask for?
While in Santa Fe, we were introduced to Tony Beck and John-Paul Bulow (shown below), the founders of Beck & Bulow, the best butcher shop I have ever visited. You should check them out — and keep in mind that they ship! They are also really community minded, generous, and a lot of fun to chat up.
At their shop, I eyed an elk tenderloin, bought it, and had them vacuum pack it for me. I then froze it till we got to Flagstaff, where we grilled it, sliced it, and served it on butternut risotto cakes, with a final drizzle of Mugolio — a pine cone bud syrup from Puglia. We were all delighted by the flavor and tenderness of the meat, but also the way the Mugolio brought out its inherent sweetness.
Naturally, I complicated the dish by forming the risotto into cakes, which was fun, but you can simplify it by making the risotto looser and spooning it onto the plates, topping with the elk. I might do just that next time.
This recipe was inspired by – and paired with – a 2019 Markus Wine Co. “Zeitlos.” It is a Syrah, Cinsaut, and Petite Sirah blend and it was perfect with the meal. To read more, visit the Provence WineZine.
~ David
Grilled Elk Tenderloin with Butternut Risotto Cake
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Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided, plus extra
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1/4-inch dice
- 1 large shallot, diced
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary
- 2 slices prosciutto, chopped
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 3 tablespoons white wine
- 4 cups chicken broth, simmering
- 2 ounces grated Gruyère (about 1/2 cup)
- unflavored bread crumbs (traditional or panko) as needed
- 1 elk tenderloin, about 3/4 pound
- Mugolio syrup, for serving
Instructions
- Make the risotto: Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter with the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add the diced butternut squash, and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the squash starts to turn golden brown. Add the shallot, rosemary, and prosciutto and cook for two minutes longer, or until the shallot is clear. Season with salt and pepper. Add the rice and cook for a minute or two, until the rice turns chalky. Add the wine and cook until almost completely absorbed. Add a ladleful of chicken broth and cook, stirring, until almost fully absorbed. Continue adding the broth, one ladleful at a time, until it is all used up. If you are going for a looser risotto, you can stop when it is al ondine (wavy). If you want to form it into cakes, you’ll want to cook until it is a bit dryer, thicker. Mix in the grated Gruyère cheese and set the risotto aside, covered, until it cools to room temperature, then chill until ready to use.
- Bring elk tenderloin to room temperature. Generously salt the tenderloin all over and let sit while preparing the risotto cakes.
- Form the risotto cakes: Divide the risotto into four even portions. Butter a 4-inch round or oval ring mold and place it on a parchment-lined cookie sheet in the upper left quadrant. Sprinkle breadcrumbs through the mold onto the parchment. Place one portion of the chilled risotto in the mold and press to distribute evenly. Generously sprinkle the top of the risotto with more breadcrumbs and gently press to get them to adhere. Carefully remove the mold and place it in another quadrant of the cookie sheet. Repeat the process until you have 4 breaded risotto cakes.
- Preheat oven to 250°F. Heat 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat in a large nonstick skillet — large enough to hold all four rice cakes. Transfer the rice cakes from the cookie sheet to the skillet and cook 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown. Place on a platter and keep warm in the oven.
- Grill the tenderloin: heat grill (gas or charcoal) to high. Pepper the tenderloin and grill 2 1/2 minutes per side. Allow tenderloin to rest, tented with foil, for 5 minutes.
- Serve: place a risotto cake (or spoon loose reheated risotto) on each of four plates. Slice the tenderloin into 16 even slices and divide them among the rice cakes. Drizzle with Mugolio and serve.
- Serves 4.
- Notes: Mugolio syrup can be purchased online. Don’t have access to elk tenderloin? A pork tenderloin would work well — but you will need to adjust the cooking times.
© 2024 Copyright Cocoa & Lavender
Mad Dog
November 5, 2022 at 4:34 amThat elk looks amazing and I bet it was delicious with the risotto cakes.
Cocoa & Lavender
November 5, 2022 at 1:32 pmThe elk was seriously one if they best things I have eaten. And the butternut risotto cakes — a fun way to serve!
Chef Mimi
November 5, 2022 at 5:56 amI love everything about this dish! The elk, the risotto, the cheese you used… Fabulous!
Cocoa & Lavender
November 5, 2022 at 1:33 pmThanks, Mimi — it all came together nicely. If you haven’t had the Mugolio, it’s really wonderful.
Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food Timeless - Provence WineZine
November 5, 2022 at 10:20 am[…] my palate did not lead me astray; the syrup really speaks to the wine. You can get the recipe at Cocoa & Lavender and, as you will be wanting the Mugolio, it is easily found online with a simple […]
Jill Jill
November 5, 2022 at 11:01 amHad elk once so so many years ago – was quite tasty as I remember. Will consider in the new year when I have a kitchen:)
Cocoa & Lavender
November 5, 2022 at 1:33 pmI was surprised at how sweet the meat was. My first time, but definitely not my last!
Velva
November 5, 2022 at 11:31 amGood travels, good friends, food and good times-you cannot ask for more. New Mexico is majestic and has so much spirit and soul. I am sure traveling to Arizona from New Mexico has the same feeling.
Love the idea of a real butcher (swoon). Grilled elk looks delicious too. I suspect it is quite tasty, and lean. Love it.
Thanks for sharing your adventures with us.
Velva
Cocoa & Lavender
November 5, 2022 at 1:36 pmWe love living here in the southwest— the big blue skies, beautiful terrain, and the food. Glad you enjoyed the post, Velva!
Sherry MacKay
November 5, 2022 at 7:33 pmelk tenderloin? Pine cone bud syrup? how exotic how marvellous david! I do like to try new foods. It’s so hard to find a real butcher anymore. They are like gold! and how about that gorgeous mural? i love street art/public art. A great post david.
Cocoa & Lavender
November 6, 2022 at 10:08 pmThanks, Sherry — I agree! Good butchers are rare. And, yes, it’s so much fun to try different foods!
Frank | Memorie di Angelina
November 6, 2022 at 6:16 amHigh praise indeed for this butcher shop, David. These days just having a butcher shop at all is something to count yourself lucky for. The closest one around here is a 20 minute drive away… Anyway, you know I’ll be checking out the Beck & Bulow website!
By the way, never having tasted elk, I’m curious to know more about the taste. It looks “beefy” …
Cocoa & Lavender
November 6, 2022 at 10:12 pmI really expected the elk to be gamey, Frank, and it was just the opposite. It was really like nothing else… quite sweet and very tender.
Ronit
November 6, 2022 at 5:11 pmGreat looking dish!
I’ve tried quite a few types of meat, but not elk, so far. The same goes for pine cone syrup, which sounds amazing!
And the list goes on and on… 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
November 6, 2022 at 10:12 pmMy first time for elk, Ronit — so glad I took the chance! The pine cone bud syrup has so many uses!
Ron
November 8, 2022 at 9:05 amDavid, what a lovely dish. We have wild game often in the fall, both from hunters and the market. Our favorite is moose, but our stags are mighty tasty as well. You started with the best cut (IMHO) that one can eat from an elk.
I did Route 66 from Santa Monica pier to Amarillo back in my motorcycle days. It was a grand trip, especially going through Arizona and New Mexico.
David Scott Allen
November 11, 2022 at 8:25 amI love that you drove Rout 66 through the Southwest — that must have been incredible, Ron. I love the elk tenderloin — it was out if this world. Game isn’t easy to come by here — I’m glad I had the opportunity.
Paula Montenegro
November 11, 2022 at 7:56 amI never had elk and doubt I ever will? It does sound like something worth trying though! Road trips are the best, love them and you have such variety from state to state it’s amazing. We do here also, but it always sounds better when it’s abroad haha.
David Scott Allen
November 11, 2022 at 8:26 amWe love road trips, too, Paula — you can see so much! I also am completely enamored with train travel for the same reason. I never thought about game in South America — what kinds do you have?
Pauline McNee
November 13, 2022 at 3:19 pmAll of the components of your dish sound delicious, and the wine you have paired with it which I think is like our Shiraz from the Barossa would be perfect. I really like the sound of the risotto, and the elk looks so very good. One of my dreams one day is to drive Route 66, it just sounds full of so many interesting stories.
Cocoa & Lavender
November 14, 2022 at 7:16 amYes, Pauline, a Shiraz would be absolutely perfect with this dish. You are absolutely correct, route 66 is one story after another along the way. If you do come, let me know and I will give you the best sections to drive.
Valentina
November 13, 2022 at 9:05 pmSounds like it was a sensational birthday celebration — so fun it lasted for days. Good friends and good food =perfection! Delicious looking dish, too — i love the combination of flavors and textures. 🙂 ~Valentina
Cocoa & Lavender
November 14, 2022 at 7:18 amDon’t you think the birthday should last at least a month? That’s what my friend Barbara says… She starts out beginning of your birth month celebrating, and doesn’t stop until the month is over. I like the way she thinks! I have to say that the elk is stunning… I would love to get more of it!
Christina Conte
November 15, 2022 at 7:01 pmElk sounds good, but for me the butternut risotto cakes are even more enticing! My husband just got back from deer-hunting in MI so I bet this would work for deer meat, too!
Cocoa & Lavender
November 19, 2022 at 10:41 amVenison was my original consideration for this recipe – I am sure it will work perfecty!
Raymund
November 16, 2022 at 7:16 pmRisotto cakes sounds like a fun idea, fits perfectly with that dish.
Cocoa & Lavender
November 19, 2022 at 10:48 amThanks – we all enjoyed the combination!
John
December 5, 2022 at 2:36 amThis is my kind of dish! I’m always one to order game meats when I see it on a menu. What a delicious way to serve it, too. I’ve never heard of mugolio and am very intrigued. What a great ingredient!
Inger
December 9, 2022 at 9:54 pmI had a beautiful deer tenderloin from a deer hunter I knew who hunted with a butcher. The group always took perfect care of their catch which he said was why it never tasted overly gamey! We were in Santa Fe (while rained out from Balloon Fiesta) and loved it. Of course Flagstaff is a perennial favorite. How lucky you are to be so close!
Cocoa & Lavender
December 10, 2022 at 6:43 amI do feel fortunate to live here, Inger — so much beauty everywhere. I bet that deer tenderloin was amazing!
Eha Carr
December 13, 2022 at 8:13 pmCaught up with this middle of December . . . if I told you how many mails there still are to open . . . !!! Loved the story and the recipe I would so love to copy ! Besides kangaroo there is very little ‘wild’ available here . . . sadly ! Route 66 – Celi Gunther of ‘kitchrnsgarden lives close to its beginning in Illinois . . . interesting to read from both sides of the story . . .