Edelhirschbraten mit Waldpilz-Preiselbeer-Jus, Seidenzartem Topinambur-Püree und Gerösteten Haselnuss-Spätzle

Marinate the Venison: In a shallow dish, combine the crushed juniper berries, fresh thyme sprigs, crushed black peppercorns, sliced garlic, and red wine. Add the venison loin, ensuring it's well-coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, turning once.

Prepare the Sunchoke Purée: Peel and dice the sunchokes. Place them in a saucepan, cover with cold water, and add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until very tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain thoroughly.

Finish Sunchoke Purée: Return the drained sunchokes to the warm saucepan. Add the cream, butter, salt, white pepper, and nutmeg. Mash until smooth, or for a silken texture, pass through a fine-mesh sieve or use an immersion blender. Keep warm.

Make the Hazelnut Spätzle Dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and ground toasted hazelnuts. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and milk. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing with a wooden spoon until a smooth, thick, and slightly sticky dough forms. Do not overmix. Let the dough rest for 15 minutes.

Cook the Spätzle: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Using a Spätzle maker, colander with large holes, or the back of a knife, push portions of the dough into the boiling water. Cook in batches until the Spätzle float to the surface, about 2-3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and immediately plunge into an ice bath to stop cooking. Drain well.

Roast the Venison: Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Remove venison from marinade, pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Reserve marinade. Season the venison generously with salt and black pepper. Heat grapeseed oil or clarified butter in an oven-safe heavy-bottomed pan (e.g., cast iron skillet) over medium-high heat. Sear the venison on all sides until deeply golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side.

Finish Venison in Oven: Transfer the pan to the preheated oven. Roast for 10-15 minutes for medium-rare (internal temperature 54-57°C / 130-135°F), or longer for desired doneness. Remove from oven, transfer venison to a cutting board, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for at least 10 minutes.

Prepare the Jus: While venison rests, return the pan to medium heat (after pouring off any excess fat). Add the finely diced shallots and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the sliced wild mushrooms and cook until they release their moisture and begin to brown, about 5-7 minutes.

Deglaze and Reduce Jus: Pour in the reserved red wine from the marinade (or fresh red wine) and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it reduce by half. Add the beef or venison stock, lingonberry preserves, balsamic vinegar, and fresh thyme sprig. Bring to a simmer and reduce by about one-third, until slightly thickened. Strain the jus through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan, pressing on the solids to extract all liquid. Discard solids.

Finish the Jus: Return the strained jus to low heat. Whisk in the cold diced butter, a few pieces at a time, until fully incorporated and the sauce is glossy and emulsified. Do not boil after adding butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Sauté the Spätzle: In a large non-stick pan, melt 30g unsalted butter over medium-high heat. Add the cooked and drained Spätzle. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden and slightly crispy on the outside, about 5-7 minutes.

Assemble and Serve: Slice the rested venison against the grain into thick medallions. Arrange a generous dollop of sunchoke purée on each plate. Place venison slices alongside. Spoon the rich wild mushroom-lingonberry jus over the venison. Serve with the toasted hazelnut spätzle. Garnish with fresh lingonberries, small thyme sprigs, and a sprinkle of toasted hazelnut pieces.