Sika Deer & Wild Mushroom Risotto

Go wild for this mushroom risotto, served with deer for good measure.

• 1 thick-cut boneless white deer steak (approx. 350g)

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 1 leek, light green bottom only, diced

• 2 stalks celery, diced

• 1 cup wild mushrooms, sliced (button mushrooms can be substituted)

• ¾ cup arborio rice

• 1/3 cup lager or pale ale

• 750 ml mushroom stock (chicken or vegetable stock can be substituted)

• ¼ cup butter

• ¼ cup grated parmesan

• Olive oil, canola oil and salt

Start the risotto and the steak at the same time, as both will take about 20 minutes in total.

Steak:

Heat a large frying pan on medium heat. Add a splash of canola oil, followed by the white Sika deer steak. (a cut from the leg or striploin would work nicely)
Season liberally with salt, and cook 4-5 minutes on each side until nicely browned. Remove from pan, and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes under tin foil.

Risotto:

Heat a large frying pan on medium-high heat. Once hot, add a splash of olive oil followed by the diced onions, leeks and celery. Cook for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
Add sliced mushrooms, followed by the arborio rice. Stir for 2 minutes until rice is coated and fragrant.
Pour in the beer, followed a minute later by enough stock to just barely cover the rice.
For the next 15 minutes, as the rice cooks you should stir occasionally and always keep the rice just barely covered with stock.
When the rice is almost cooked through, add in the butter and parmesan cheese. Adjust salt if necessary, and add a touch more stock to get the consistency to your liking.

Serve hot risotto with thick slices of the rare venison steak.