Savory Latvian Stew: Venison Version

October 2024

With deer season on the horizon, I thought perhaps my readers would enjoy some ways to use venison. This recipe is the fifth in my fall 2024 venison recipe series. Some years ago I read a book by Amor Towles called A Gentleman In Moscow. The tale begins in the years of upheaval in the Soviet Union, post revolution. The protagonist, Count Alexander Rostov, somehow escapes the executions that were the fate of many of his aristocratic brethren and is instead sentenced to life in a grand hotel in Moscow. The novel is beautifully written. The Count loves Latvian Stew, which is served in the hotel restaurant. He loves it for the simplicity that a country cook with limited ingredients would have produced. His country cook used pork. I believe that a real country cook in Lativa at the turn of the 20th century would have used roe deer or red deer, poached from the forest of a noble family. My version, which is based upon a recipe developed by Mr. Towles, uses both pork and Wisconsin whitetail. I have, of course, made some modifications to the recipe, in addition to substituting venison for half the pork. These include adding herbs and spices that would have been in the Count's larder, but not in that of his Latvian peasant's home. The original recipe calls for beer, which the country cook would likely have produced. Mine substitutes wine, which I believe enhances the flavors in the stew.

This savory venison and pork stew is fabulous.

.

---

Ingredients for Latvian Stew: Venison Version

1.5 lb venison steak cut into 1-1.5 inch cubes

1.5 lb of pork shoulder roast cut into 1-1.5 inch cubes

2 TBSP butter

2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

3 large carrots thickly sliced on the diagonal

1 clove garlic minced

1/8 TSP red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp Hungarian Sweet Paprika

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp dried oregano ( Greek or Turkish)

2 TBSP Tomato Paste

1 pint beef stock

1 cup rosé wine

1 cup dried apricots sliced into halves

1 cup prunes sliced into halves

2 TBSP fresh parsley chopped

Add the butter and oil to a Dutch oven and put the burner on medium high. Add the salt and pepper to the flour and dredge the meat cubes in it. Brown the meat in small batches in the butter/oil combination. Remove the browned meat to a dish as you work through all the meat. It is important not to crowd the meat as it will boil rather than brown. You will likely need additional oil and butter as you work. You may also need to adjust the heat down as the crusty brown bits that build up as you work could burn.

Add the onions to the Dutch Oven and reduce the heat. Cook on medium-low for 20 minutes or so, until the onions darken slightly. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant. Add all the spices and stir. Add the wine, stock, and tomato paste. Increase the heat to medium. Stir well, being sure to get all the brown bits off the bottom and incorporated into what will be gravy. Then add the meat back to the pot.

Apricots and prunes add an amazing depth of flavor.

Add the chopped, dried fruit and carrots. If the liquid in the pot does not nearly reach the level of the solid ingredients, then add more stock or water. Cover the dutch oven and put it in a 350-degree oven for 1.5 hours. After 1 hour, check the meat for doneness. It should be fork-tender. If not, give it another 30-45 minutes. Add more liquid if necessary. You want the stew to be thickened, but not dry.

Sprinkle on the parsley to serve.

This stew is ready for the oven.

Chef's Notes:

1. Get a fatty pork shoulder roast and keep a reasonable amount of fat on the meat. This will make up for the lean venison. You can get your butcher to cut it up for you. or you can do it yourself. I have done it both ways. I find I get more uniform pieces if I do it.

2. The flour for dredging is my invention in this recipe. It helps the meat brown, creates more depth of flavor, and thickens the stew.

3. The original recip called for 6 cloves of garlic. Those of you who follow me know that I am a garlic minimalist. I think it should be part of the palate...not the main show. If you are a garlic lover...adjust accordingly.

4. Similarly, the recipe I used as a base called for 4 times as much red pepper flakes. I am sensitive to too much heat, so I adjusted way down. I think a little heat in the background of this is fine. You could skip it altogether.

5. The dried fruit in this recipe is a critical element. I probably used slightly less than the recipe called for. Maybe more like 3/4 cup each. You may be thinking this will domin ate in a bad way. Not so! The fruit disappears into the stew and you are left with a hint of it in the flavor layers.

   
   
   
   

   

   Latvian Stew smells and tastes as good as it looks.

   
   
   
   

   This is a hearty fall and winter dish. Serve it with a slice of crusty bread and a glass of wine. I started making this with pork only. It is lovely. I got to thinking this might be a great venison stew as well. It is fabulous. Enjoy!