Venison Carpaccio

Sometimes I get venison from friends who are hunters which is always a treat. I find raw venison to be less gamey than cooked, so it’s one of my favorite ways to eat it. Obligatory warning that consuming raw meat can lead to food-borne illnesses. Carpaccio tends to be simple—a drizzle of olive oil, a spritz of some sort of acid (lemon or vinaigrette), and some greens. It’s sort of like a deconstructed tartare. Sometimes salty little capers or cheese show up for a burst of flavor.

For this recipe I wanted to showcase the things I grew at my new place, one that my own two hands had a part in making. Thinly sliced venison with a quail egg from my quails, topped with basil, chives, salad burnet, a tiny tomato quarter from an itty bitty tomato, salt cured lemon, a sprinkling of parmesan, olive oil, cracked black pepper and smoked sea salt.

As it is, there are no measurements mainly because it’s all to taste. It satisfied my (and the kids) love for tartare, and we were sad when it came to an end. There’s no reason why it can’t be done with another mix of herbs, but that’s just what I had on hand.