Venisonoeuf Bourguignon

So, classic recipe, different ruminant.  As we say in our business this recipe "was performed in general accordance with" the version Julia Child put forth in my dog-chewed (Pasco was a puppy, he couldn't help it) edition of Mastering the Art of French Cooking (yes, I saw the movie, yes I loved it, but yes I was drunk at the time).  Like a scrotum here it is in a nutshell:

I used the petite ham, silverskin separated out (there wasn't that much) and roughly cubed into inch-ish square portions.  This was truly beautiful meat in texture, color, smell, I wanted to have some deer sashimi.

Half done

I tossed the cubes in a black peppered flour then browned them on each side in olive oil.  I took those out the pan and slightly browned some carrots and sliced onions.

When that was done I reintroduced the meat, then put in a can of beef consomme, a lot of red wine, a small can of tomato paste, sliced mushrooms, garlic, and thyme.

On a whim, I added some peas (they just seemed to belong) then we at it on a bed of mashed 'taters (gold variety). 

Old beagle approves, jealously.

This was the most tender and tasty cut so far, even better than the backstrap to us (haven't had the tenderloin yet though).  I'm thinking that I'm going to maybe make steaks out of the other one and grill them, see how that goes.

So, tickets are officially purchased for my next trip to Catalina in Dec., quite looking forward to it.  Also, two of my good friends from there are coming back to Gville soon, very looking forward to that.  Hope its good weather all around.