Venison with Ancho Chile Blueberry Sauce

Directions

1. Remove the chiles, reserving 1/4 cup of the soaking liquid. Stem and seed the chiles and place in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Add the salt and the soaking liquid. Process for about 1 minute, or until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. (If desired, make the puree ahead and refrigerate up to 30 days.) To make the sauce, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the celery, carrot, onion, and salt and saute for 3 to 5 minutes, until soft. Add the ancho puree, port, brown sugar and stock. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes, or until reduced to 1 cup. Pass through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan, add the blueberries, and cook over medium heat for 12 minutes. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and stir until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm. Prepare a fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill to medium-high. Pat the venison medallions dry with paper towels. Place the meat on a plate and coat both sides with the oil. Sprinkle both sides with the 1 1/2 teaspoon salt. Place on the grill rack and grill for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until just cooked to medium rare. Slice each medallion on an angle into 4 to 6 pieces. Divide among 4 plates. Drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons of the sauce over the top. Serve immediately.