Scallops and Fawn

Preparation time: 45 minutes Cooking time: 45 minutes
Difficulty:***
Serves 4

• 200 g/7 oz pumpkin 
• crushed pepper
• 400 g/14 oz wild mushrooms 
• salt
• 400 g/13/4 cups butter 
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 shallots
• 4 large pickles in vinegar
• 1 fawn leg, bones removed 
• 1 kg/2'/4 Ib potatoes
• 150 g/5'12 oz Danish blue cheese, sliced 
• 1 rack of fawn, cut in thin chops
• 1 parsnip, diced
• 300 ml/1'/4 cups ale
• 200 ml/generous 3/4 cup creme fraiche 
• 500 ml/2 cups game stock
• 2 tbsp cranberry coulis

Before cooking the rack of fawn, be sure to remove the ends of the bones and smooth down any rough edges. This will make the final presentation all the more beautiful when it is served. When the meat has been browned in its skin, then cooked to perfection in the oven, transfer the meat to a chopping board and carefully carve the rack into individual cutlets.

1. Peel the pumpkin, cut in thin slices, then add pepper to taste and set the pieces aside. Clean and chop the mushrooms. Melt 50 g/3 '12 tbsp of the butter and brown the mushrooms in it with some salt and pepper for 5 minutes.






2. Peel the garlic and shallots. Chop them and the pickles, as well. Add them to the mushrooms. Continue to saute for 3 to 4 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring.

3. Cut scallops from the fawn leg. Place a little of the mushroom mixture in the center of each piece. Fold both sides of the scallop over the filling and then roll the meat. Secure with toothpicks.






4. Peel and thinly slice the potatoes. Place a sheet of parchment paper and 4 small metal rings on a tray. Alternate layers of potatoes and cheese in the rings. Melt and clarify 200 g/14 tbsp butter and baste the potatoes and cheese with it. Bake at 220°C/425°F for 20 minutes.

5. Melt and clarify 50 g/3 '12 tbsp butter in a pot. Cook the pumpkin in it for 5 minutes. In a different pan, melt the same amount of butter and fry the fawn scallops and chops and the diced parsnip. Brown the chops in the frying pan, then roast them in  a moderate oven for 5 minutes.

6. Deglaze the meat with the ale, creme fraiche and game stock. Bring this to the boil to thicken the sauce. Add the remaining butter. Arrange the scallops on top of the pumpkin slices, next to the chops and potatoes. Garnish with cranberry coulis and parsnip.