Cervena Venison Taco, Chipotle Harissa, Fennel Pollen Yogurt, and Bacon Fat Tortilla

METHOD:

For the Venison:
Marinate the venison loin in the olive oil, thyme, and pepper for at least 6 hours. Remove the cure, season with salt and sear to medium rare. Rest for 20 minutes and slice.

For the Quick Pickled Cucumbers:
Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise and slice thinly to form half moons. Marinate with the lemon juice, lemon zest, mint leaves, and salt. Marinate for at least 1 hour.

For the Tortillas:
Mix the flour, salt, and baking powder in a mixing bowl. Add the bacon fat and milk and mix by hand to form a dough. Rest dough 1 hour. Divide the dough into 20 even portions. Roll in your hands to form balls and let relax for 20 minutes, covered with plastic wrap. Roll each portion out with a rolling pin to about 6-inch tortillas and grill for 30 seconds on each side, until the inside is cooked and the outside has grill marks.

For the Harissa:
Combine the Fresno chiles, garlic, red peppers, Morenita chiles, cumin seeds, and Aleppo chiles in a food processor. Pulse until they form a very fine powder, about 5 minutes. Fold in the lemon juice and zest and oil to form a loose emulsion. Season with sea salt.

For the Yogurt:
Combine the yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest, fennel pollen, salt, olive oil, and milk and whisk until incorporated. Season with salt.

To Assemble and Serve:
Put a freshly grilled Tortilla on a plate and top with the Quick Pickled Cucumbers, sliced Venison, Harissa, and Yogurt. Garnish with cilantro.