Venison Tenderloin and Chipotle Yam Puree

We need more snow days if this keeps appearing on the stove.

     Alrighty...  19" of snow, no way to leave the house, and a strong hankering to eat(go figure...) drew our eyes to the freezer.  Considering I would be working on V-Day and She was wanting some good company, we got to checking out the pantry - we needed to find some goodies for some recently harvested backstrap o' deer - thanks I-Dad!
     Pretty straightforward dish this time around.  For the sweet potato puree we baked two taters at 400 for 90 minutes.  Meanwhile, She brought 1/2 c. of milk to a simmer with some brown sugar, chipotle puree, and -my favorite- rendered pancetta fat!  Holy lord that puree was awesome - and all the work of She.

Cab Demi Sauce and Bambi in the background.

 
     As for the venison loin, I simply crusted it with a blend of freshly ground coffee beans, cumin, and a skoch of brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.  From there, I just put put a quick sear on that while whipping up a simple Cab Demi Sauce with a little rosemary, balsamic, and garlic - just enough to round out the sauce.

     Oh yeah, and then there was the Pantry Upside-Down Cake - ahhh yes!