Roe deer

Chevreuil

What it is

The roe is the only hoofed animal in Europe with delayed implantation: it mates in July and the embryo lies dormant until December, so the fawn arrives in spring. The carcass is small — twenty kilos or less — and the meat correspondingly fine-grained and barely gamey.

In the kitchen

A saddle or a loin needs four minutes a side and a rest, no more. The long juniper-and-red-wine marinade that red deer expects bruises and sours it — roe is better with butter and pepper alone.

Goes with

Blackcurrant Chestnut Celeriac Butter Quince Black pepper Cream Button mushroom

Also used with

Yellow gentian root

In season alongside

Hind Fallow deer Young wild boar Grey partridge Amethyst deceiver Snipe

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