DEER

By CHRISTINE LIU

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Hunting season: Mon 10.13.08–Sat 11.22.08 (archery); Mon 12.01.08–Sat 12.13.08 (shotgun); Mon 12.15.08–Wed 12.31.08 (primitive firearms, aka "muzzleloaders")

Tastes like: rich, yet lean, beef; wild venison tends to have a stronger (and more feed-dependent) flavor than farm-raised

Typical ways to cook: steak, sausage, stew

Good names to assign before eating: Honey, Do, My Cousin Venny

If you're cooking, where to buy: Venison loin chops [$14.99/lb] and rack of venison [$24.99/lb] at Savenor's Market [160 Charles St., Beacon Hill, Boston. 617.723.MEAT. savenorsmarket.com]

Meritage

Prosciutto-wrapped venison loin, Beluga lentil ragout, swiss chard and black currant sauce, $16/32

"Through the years of Meritage, I've had to keep some things on the menu that have become signature dishes," says Chef Daniel Bruce of the eponymous venison plate. "People clamor for them to be put on." Available (like everything on the restaurant's menu) in smaller or larger versions, the delicate red-deer venison's richness is deftly cut with the saltiness of the prosciutto. "Any bottled-aged cabernet works really well—it mellows out a little bit—as opposed to big, fruit-forward wines," suggests Bruce for a pairing. A less obvious recommendation is an old-world Rhône with Syrah. "The leather and tobacco matches well to the venison and pops the flavors. It's a great contrast and complements it." Trust us to experiment.

[70 Rowes Wharf, Boston Harbor Hotel, Boston. 617.439.3995. meritagetherestaurant.com]

Via Matta

Ravioli of venison with mushrooms, tomato and grappa | $20

"My job is to re-create the authentic dishes I learned in the northern part of Italy," relates chef/owner Michael Schlow. And this homey preparation transports one easily across the pond. The kitchen implements a Denver Leg cut of venison—"fairly free of any sinew; it's very tender"—ground and sautéed with onions, carrots and rosemary. The meat's then mixed with ricotta and Parmesan, stuffed into fresh pasta and dressed with a simple, deliciously subtle sauce incorporating "the smallest flash of grappa." Schlow explains, "I serve game meats all year round. All you have to do is to give it accompaniments and treatments that would be appropriate for the season." As suckers for shrooms, we'll happily fall right in.

[79 Park Plaza, Boston. 617.442.0008. viamattarestaurant.com]

Eastern Standard

Grilled venison heart with beets, candied pine nuts and freshly grated horseradish, served with horseradish vinaigrette, English pea puree and garnished with pomegranate molasses ׀ $10

If venison is a relatively atypical sight, then sliced heart from wild Himalayan antelopes shot on a Texan ranch should just about eat your shorts. "There's only one per animal," chef Marco Suarez says of the rarity of the cut, "and the idea of eating the heart doesn't appeal to anybody." Yet as a strong and particularly concentrated muscle tissue, just like any other meat, it could pass as the finest steak. The secret to keeping it tender lies in cooking it quickly to rare—or, conversely, "braising the hell out of it"—and slicing it super thin. Mixing the summery splash of green pea puree with autumnal hints of pomegranate, it's a transitional dish of intricate flavor interplays. It's Suarez's anticipation on a plate—"I'm itchy for fall."

[528 Comm. Ave., Hotel Commonwealth, Kenmore Sq., Boston. 617.532.9100. easternstandardboston.com]