Wild Venison Steaks with Caramelised Pumpkin Pureé Topped with Walnut and Currant Salsa
Ingredients:
1 x 400 g Alpine Deer Wild Venison Medallions (prepacked)
2 garlic cloves
2 stalks of fresh thyme
Caramelised Pumpkin Purée
½ small butternut or crown pumpkin
1 fresh red chili – sliced
1 T garlic, minced
1 T ginger, minced
1 T smoked paprika
2 T brown sugar
Walnut & Currant Salsa
½ C walnuts
1 ½ T dried currants
2 T baby capers
1/3 C fresh parsley, chopped
zest of 1 lemon
1-2 T sweet sherry vinegar
½ t chilli fakes
¼ C olive oil
1 bunch spinach – large stalks removed
Method
Remove the Medallions from fridge and packaging, cover lightly and allow to come to room temperature (about 30 minutes).
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Cut pumpkin into wedges. In a bowl, mix pumpkin with olive oil, garlic, ginger, chili, brown sugar and paprika. Place pumpkin on a roasting tray and cook until soft and caramelised. Once soft and caramelised, mix into a purée.
Prepare salsa. Toast walnuts in a small pan until golden brown, around 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool, then use your hands to break the walnuts into small-ish pieces.
Heat oil and capers in a small saucepan over medium, swirling often, until capers burst and are golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Carefully pour oil and capers into a small heatproof bowl. Add the red chili flakes and currants. Let cool.
Stir in the walnuts (leaving as much papery skin behind) parsley, vinegar, and lemon zest; season with salt. Taste. If it tastes too sharp, add more olive oil by the tablespoon. If it needs more salt, add it to taste.
Season venison with salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Brown in a hot pan with a splash of olive oil and a touch of butter (it only needs 10 seconds on each side, just to sear the edges).
Add fresh thyme sprigs to the pan and finish venison by roasting in the oven for 5-6 minutes. Remove from oven, and rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
While Venison is resting, sauté spinach in a pan with butter and finish with a dash of lemon juice.
Place the Wild venison steak atop caramelised pumpkin purée, sautéd spinach topped with walnut and currant salsa.