Instructions: Place venison in a glass dish. In a small bowl, combine molasses, balsamic vinegar, black pepper, garlic, shallot, ginger, thyme, and pepper flakes.

When well blended, pour over beef. Cover. Refrigerate, allowing meat to marinate, for 24 hours, turning occasionally.

Remove meat from marinade, reserving 2 cup for Smoked Bacon Compote

(Compote of Bacon, etc. - HB) and 4 tablespoons to deglaze pan. Place on cutting board, and using a sharp knife, cut into 8 portions. Season with salt.

Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, lay beef medallions in skillet and brown for 3 minutes. Turn and brown for 2 minutes or until desired degree of doneness is reached.

Just before removing meat, add 4 tablespoons reserved molasses marinade to skillet to deglaze the pan as well as to glaze the medallions. Quickly turn meat over to glaze other side. Remove from skillet immediately.

Place 2 medallions near the center of each of four hot serving plates, overlapping each other. Spoon the Smoked Bacon Compote next to the medallions, letting the sauce flow out onto the plate. Place a sprig of watercress in between the meat and the compote. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings Original Recipe Title: VENISON MARINATED IN MOLASSES AND BLACK PEPPER, SERVED WITH COMPOTE OF SMOKED BACON, WILD MUSHROOMS, GLAZED SWEET POTATOES, AND PECANS

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