Chef Ty Leon of the Michelin recommended Restaurant Olivia stopped by the Lanyap Cookery kitchen to film a class recently.
I asked Chef Ty if we could build a class around venison after reading about a special dinner that was happening at Olivia featuring Maui Nui Venison. Obviously, we did just that. What I didn’t know is that he was going to turn me into a celery salt convert!
“Maui Nui Venison is the most nutrient-rich, and protein-dense red meat on the planet. Our stress-free, wild-harvesting methods ethically and responsibly manage the invasive Axis deer population of Maui, in an effort to restore ecological balance to the island.”
We made two dishes that were on his fall menu. First up was tajarin al ragu, which is a hand cut pasta with a braised venison shank ragu. This dish was only available if you ordered the tasting menu — and in a much smaller portion. Next he made roasted venison strip loin over polenta. This was available as an entrée on the standard menu.
Tajarin al Ragu
Chef Ty moved to Denver to attend culinary school. After graduating, he moved to California to work at the Michelin starred restaurant The Plumed Horse. After two years of living in California, Colorado was calling and Ty landed a position at one of Denver’s iconic restaurants, Mizuna. Ty was promoted to Executive Chef in 2016 and remained with Bonanno Concepts until he and his business partners left in 2018 to open Bistro Georgette.
Prior to opening Restaurant Olivia on January 14th, 2020, Ty spent time working and learning in some of the country's best kitchens, including Le Pigeon, Flour & Water and Lilia.
Ty was named Denver’s Best Chef by 5280 in 2020, featured in Zagat’s “30 under 30” and was recently highlighted by the Denver Post as one of “7 Chefs to Watch.”
What will you learn in this class?
How to make fresh pasta
How to make sauce pomodoro
How to braise a venison shank
How to make a ragu with the braised shank and sauce pomodoro
How to cook a venison strip loin
How to cook polenta
How is this on-demand cooking class structured?
The strip steak and polenta are a stand alone meal.
The fresh pasta and venison ragu has quite a few delicious components that we need to make. You can do it all in one day or spread it out over two days:
Day 1: Braise shank, make sauce pomodoro
Day 2: Start the ragu, make the pasta, finish the dish
What ingredients and equipment do I need?
Ingredients (exact quantities will be provided once the class has been purchased)
1 or 2 venison shanks
1 venison strip loin
Canola oil
Leek
Onion
Garlic
Carrot
Celery
Tomato paste
Red wine
Fresh herbs
Stock
Salt
Pepper
Celery salt
Olive oil
Canned whole peeled tomatoes
Crushed red pepper
Butter
White wine
Eggs
Double zero flour
Semolina flour
Milk
Polenta
Parmesan
Marscapone
Equipment
Knife
Cutting board
Strainer
Dutch oven or an oven safe pot with a lid
Tongs
Spatula
Wooden spoon
Saucepan
Immersion blender
Large skillet or rondeau
Plastic wrap
Pasta sheeter (we used a kitchen aid attacement)
Whisk