In Danskarby, chef Louise Mérus’ banquet table is set with venison and roasted beets.
Deer fillet is at its best when the meat is pink. Jenni Gästgivar
Danskarby’s farm in Kirkkonummi appreciates Nordic food culture.
From the beginning, Danskarby has been a chef and an entrepreneur by Louise Mérus childhood home. Nowadays, Mérus runs the Danskarby company that offers various courses there.
Mérus states that Nordic cuisine with local ingredients is his passion.
– My food focuses on the seasons and consists of simple, pure flavors, says Mérus.
In keeping with this theme, he prepared a celebratory meal, the main parts of which are deer, mushrooms and root vegetables. Mushroom sauce and hasselbacka beets are eaten with the deer.
The venison, beetroot and mushroom sauce is accompanied by steamed brussels sprouts on the plate. Jenni Gästgivar
Although Mérus cooks a lot of vegetarian food, he likes to use local game. Mérus doesn’t hunt himself, so he buys game meat from the online store of Viltgården farm, which specializes in it.
Located in Inkoo, Viltgården buys domestic game from hunters and hunting clubs – in addition, game management is practiced on the farm’s own land.
– It is important for me to be in direct contact with the producers, because it is easy to succeed in the kitchen with good ingredients, Mérus states.
Mérus browns the deer fillet in a pan in butter, oil, garlic and thyme. The meat is finished in the oven. It is very important to take care that the meat does not overcook, so you should use a meat thermometer.
Take the venison fillet out of the oven when the internal temperature is 51-55 degrees. Let the meat rest for a while before you start cutting it so that the juices don’t ooze out. This keeps the meat juicy.
Beets are seasoned with almonds and honey. Jenni Gästgivar
Mérus states that the Finnish food tradition is full of simple and easy dishes. However, according to Mérus, simplicity does not mean that the taste is any worse or less.
Deer fillets get color on the surface in a pan, after which they are put in the oven to finish cooking. Jenni Gästgivar
Deer fillet
500–600 g of deer loin
salt
black pepper
3 cloves of garlic
half a pot of fresh thyme
canola or rapeseed oil
a stick of butter
1. Heat the oven to 125 degrees. Season the fillet with salt and pepper.
2. Brown the fillet in a hot pan with garlic, oil and butter. Finally, add the thyme to the pan.
3. Transfer the fillet to the oven and cook until the internal temperature is 51-55 degrees. Allow to set before cutting.
Delicious sauce
500 g fresh or soaked sweet potatoes (dried mushrooms approx. 60 g)
2 shallots
2 tablespoons of butter
1.5 dl of meat broth
3 dl of whipped cream
salt
pepper
(cornstarch to thicken)
a splash of cognac
a splash of soy sauce
1. Clean the sweet potatoes carefully and cut them into small pieces. If you use dried mushrooms, soak them in warm water for about 30 minutes and drain well.
2. Peel and finely chop the shallots.
3. Melt the butter in a pot or high-sided frying pan. Add the onions and saute over low heat until they soften. Then add the mushrooms and fry until they get a little color and the liquid evaporates. Add a small splash of brandy and let it boil to evaporate the alcohol.
4. Pour in the meat broth and cream. Mix well. Let it boil for a few minutes. Add soy sauce, salt and black pepper to taste.
5. Finally, add a knob of butter to the surface of the sauce to give it shine and richness.
TIP
If you want a thicker sauce, mix cornstarch with a splash of cold water and add to the sauce in a thin strip while stirring. Let it boil for a couple of minutes.
Hasselbacka beets
4–6 pre-boiled beets
25 g of butter
0.5 dl breadcrumbs
0.5 dl crushed almonds
honey
finger salt
1. Heat the oven to 200 degrees. Slice the beets without cutting all the way to the bottom.
2. Add butter, sprinkle with breadcrumbs, almonds, honey and salt. Bake in the oven for about 20-30 minutes.