Ingredients

serves 4

　　1 1/2-2 pounds venison tenderloin (backstrap works, too)

　　Salt and pepper

　　Vegetable oil

　　1 tablespoon butter

　　2 ounces peeled shallots, finely chopped

　　1 clove garlic, finely chopped

　　4 ounces mushrooms, finely chopped

　　12 ounces shucked May River Oysters (or the best oysters available in your area), drained of liquor and picked free of any broken shells

　　1 tablespoon dry sherry

　　2 tablespoons fresh breadcrumbs

　　Sour Cream Pastry (recipe follows)

　　1 egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon water

　　

Sour Cream Pastry

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled

　　1/2 cup sour cream

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Rub the tenderloin with salt and pepper and brush it lightly with oil. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and lightly sear all surfaces of the meat, including the ends. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside. Melt the butter over high heat; add the shallots and garlic and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes longer. Add the oysters and sherry, and cook until the oysters are opaque. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Drain off any liquid and combine the mixture with the breadcrumbs in the bowl of a food processor. Process until well blended and nearly smooth. Line a colander with several layers of cheesecloth and spoon the påté into it. Allow to drain for 10 to 15 minutes. If the påté seems too wet, pick up the edge of the cheesecloth, twist it together, and wring out the excess liquid.

　　

Step 2

Roll the pastry dough out on a lightly floured surface to form a rectangle less than 1/4 inch thick. Spoon some påté into the center of the dough and spread it to form a shape similar to that of the tenderloin. Place the venison on the påté, then cover the top and sides of the meat with the remaining påté. Wrap the pastry around the venison, overlapping the edges to form a seam. Moisten the edges with water and pinch lightly to seal. Trim the top layer of pastry from both ends and fold the ends up over the sides of the venison, sealing as before. Carefully turn over the pastry-wrapped tenderloin and place seam-side down on a lightly greased baking sheet. Brush with the beaten egg. Decorate the top with designs cut from the pastry scraps. Brush the cutouts with beaten egg. Bake the tenderloin for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let stand in a warm place for 10 minutes before carving.

　　

Sour Cream Pastry

Step 3

Combine the flour and salt in a food processor and pulse once or twice to mix. Cut the butter into chunks and add it to the processor. Process until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add the sour cream and pulse until the dough forms a ball. Remove the dough and knead it a few times. Wrap the dough in waxed paper and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. The dough can be frozen for up to 1 month; allow it to thaw partially before rolling.

　　

VARIATION

Step 4

For those who don’t care for oysters, a mushroom duxelles may be used instead of påté. Substitute 8 ounces of finely chopped fresh mushrooms (any kind will do) for the oysters, and follow the above procedure. You may also substitute a beef tenderloin for the venison.

　　The Lady & Sons, Too! by Paula Deen. © 2001 by Paula H. Deen. Published by Random House. All Rights Reserved.Paula H. Deen was born and raised in Albany, Georgia. She later moved to Savannah, where she and her two sons, Bobby and Jamie, started the Bag Lady catering company. The business took off and evolved into The Lady & Sons Restaurant, which is located in Savannah’s historic district and specializes in Southern cooking. Paula is the host of Food Network’s Paula’s Home Cooking and is a regular guest on QVC, where her cookbooks are one of the newtowrk’s biggest sellers.