Buffalo is very lean and can be served medium-rare to medium but will dry out if cooked beyond medium. If you prefer your meat well-done, beef tenderloin would be a better choice and would easily adapt to this recipe. From Pat Perry of Highland’s Garden Cafe, serves 6.
Ingredients
1 (2-pound) buffalo loin, silver skin and white chain removed
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup spice rub (Paul Prudhomme makes a good blackening one)
1 cup roughly chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 16-ounce package frozen dark unsweetened cherries
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
Directions
Heat grill to high.
Rub buffalo loin with olive oil and let rest. Rub with olive oil again. Spread spice rub on a baking sheet and roll buffalo loin in spice rub to coat evenly.
Grill the loin over high heat, turning often until evenly seared. Roll in fresh parsley and cracked black pepper, place in roasting pan and roast in 350-degree oven 20 minutes until a thermometer registers 130 degrees for medium-rare. If serving right away, rest the meat at least 20 minutes, or allow to cool and serve at room temperature.
Cherries: Spread cherries on a baking sheet and place in 225-degree oven. Watch for juices to run. Continue to roast until all the juice has evaporated and cherries begin to caramelize, about 2 hours. Remove from oven and puree half the cherries with chipotle and thyme in a blender. Mix back into the remaining whole cherries. Taste and add cracked black pepper. Cherries should be smoky and pepper-crunchy but not overly spicy.
Slice roast thin and serve with cherries on the side.
Wine ideas: The plump, generous black cherry flavors of an Argentine malbec such as Sausana Balbo’s Crios ($15) would juice up this lean meat and blanket any fires the chipotle might start—not to mention bring out the delicious cherry-chile sauce. Tara Q. Thomas
