Bison with Hazelnut Spätzle and Charred Carrots

This dish pairs tender, perfectly seared bison steaks with homemade hazelnut spätzle and roasted carrots. The rich beef stock reduction and whole-grain mustard add depth to the plate, while black currants and sunflower shoots provide a touch of brightness. Sliced shallots and a final sprinkle of flaky sea salt give it a textural pop.
This recipe, and others like it, can be found in the article “This Is the Bison Recipe You’ll Be Making on Repeat (Plus, Other Sustainable, Hearty Dishes).”
How to Make It
Make spätzle: It can be made up to one day ahead of time. In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients together: flour, hazelnuts, salt, pepper, and parsley. In another large bowl, mix wet ingredients together: eggs and milk (save water to thin out if necessary). Mix by hand or with a stand mixer. Put wet ingredients into bowl, pour dry ingredients into wet, and whip with a paddle attachment or whisk for about 5 minutes until some gluten is formed. It should be moist and sticky. Set aside at room temperature for an hour.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and set a perforated pan over top. Put spätzle dough on top of the perforated pan and push through the holes with a spatula into the boiling water. Let them cook until they float to the top of the water. Cook for another 30 seconds, then remove and put into ice water. Now drain and toss with oil and refrigerate until you are ready to sauté them with the meal.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat beef stock reduction and keep warm until plating.
Start carrots: In an oven-proof sauté pan, put some oil. Sauté carrots on medium-high heat for 2 minutes until they start to caramelize a little, shake the pan, season with salt, and turn off heat. As the bison is just finishing cooking, put carrots into the oven to finish for 6 to 8 minutes.
Cook Bison: Brush bison steaks with oil and season with salt. Bring cast-iron pan to medium-high heat, add bison steaks, sear (depending on thickness) for 3 to 5 minutes, then flip and sear the other side for the same amount of time. Turn off pan, add a knob of butter, and baste the steaks with the butter. Remove from the pan and put on a plate, then pour excess butter and juices over the steaks and allow to rest for 6 to 8 minutes.
To finish spätzle: Use a large nonstick pan and bring to medium-high heat. Add oil, add spätzle, sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, adding cooked carrots to pan. Season with salt and toss in whole-grain mustard. Add a small amount of butter and remove from heat.
To plate: Set out dishes. Evenly distribute spätzle and carrots, add black currants on top of the spätzle, then add sunflower shoots. Slice each bison steak into 4 to 5 pieces, add the bison, beef stock reduction, and sliced shallots. Finish with a crack of black pepper and flaky sea salt.
Ingredients
Directions
Make spätzle: It can be made up to one day ahead of time. In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients together: flour, hazelnuts, salt, pepper, and parsley. In another large bowl, mix wet ingredients together: eggs and milk (save water to thin out if necessary). Mix by hand or with a stand mixer. Put wet ingredients into bowl, pour dry ingredients into wet, and whip with a paddle attachment or whisk for about 5 minutes until some gluten is formed. It should be moist and sticky. Set aside at room temperature for an hour.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and set a perforated pan over top. Put spätzle dough on top of the perforated pan and push through the holes with a spatula into the boiling water. Let them cook until they float to the top of the water. Cook for another 30 seconds, then remove and put into ice water. Now drain and toss with oil and refrigerate until you are ready to sauté them with the meal.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat beef stock reduction and keep warm until plating.
Start carrots: In an oven-proof sauté pan, put some oil. Sauté carrots on medium-high heat for 2 minutes until they start to caramelize a little, shake the pan, season with salt, and turn off heat. As the bison is just finishing cooking, put carrots into the oven to finish for 6 to 8 minutes.
Cook Bison: Brush bison steaks with oil and season with salt. Bring cast-iron pan to medium-high heat, add bison steaks, sear (depending on thickness) for 3 to 5 minutes, then flip and sear the other side for the same amount of time. Turn off pan, add a knob of butter, and baste the steaks with the butter. Remove from the pan and put on a plate, then pour excess butter and juices over the steaks and allow to rest for 6 to 8 minutes.
To finish spätzle: Use a large nonstick pan and bring to medium-high heat. Add oil, add spätzle, sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, adding cooked carrots to pan. Season with salt and toss in whole-grain mustard. Add a small amount of butter and remove from heat.
To plate: Set out dishes. Evenly distribute spätzle and carrots, add black currants on top of the spätzle, then add sunflower shoots. Slice each bison steak into 4 to 5 pieces, add the bison, beef stock reduction, and sliced shallots. Finish with a crack of black pepper and flaky sea salt.