It’s always easy at this time of year to start cooking the usual repertoire of wintery dishes like stews, pies or roasted root vegetables, which I love. But I sometimes prefer something a little less heavy so this dish is my autumn version of a light salad. Venison offers a delicious alternative to beef and, if staying trim is your thing, it’s a very lean and healthy meat as well. And coating it with a parmesan crumble gives it an extra delicious, salty flavour.
Serves: 2
Cooking time: Approx. 15 minutes.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 venison fillets, approx 250-300g each
- 3-4 whole chicories
- A large handful of beetroot leaves
- A handful of shelled walnuts
- 1 pomegranate
- 100ml good quality balsamic vinegar
- 50g brown sugar
- 110g of parmesan
- A small handful of parsley
- 100g of butter
- 1 clove of garlic, smashed open slightly
METHOD:
Start by making the salad dressing. Get a bowl ready then cut the pomegranate in half and bash the tops of them with a large spoon or rolling pin to get the seeds out. Then give each half a good squeeze to get the juice out as well. Next, add the balsamic vinegar and sugar to a saucepan, then add the pomegranate juice (keep the seeds for the salad itself). Place the pan over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a light boil, then reduce the heat a touch and simmer for another 5 minutes. Take off the heat and set aside to cool down. It should start thickening up until you’re left with a sweet, slightly sticky dressing.
While the dressing cools down place a large frying or griddle pan on the stove over a medium-high heat. Add a little oil and a small knob of butter, then cut the chicory in half lengthways, and lay in the pan. Cook on each side for approx 5-6 minutes or until soft and slightly caramelised. Set aside and keep warm in a very low oven)
Now it’s time to prepare the coating for the venison. Cut the parmesan into rough chunks first then continue chopping until you’re left with bits the size of rock salt grains. Finely chop the parsley and mix it with the parmesan, then spread the mixture out onto a plate or chopping board. Now cook the venison fillets. Rub them all over with a bit of oil, season really well with salt and pepper, then place in a VERY hot frying pan. Cook for approximately 1.5 minutes on each sides, adding a large knob of butter and the clove of garlic halfway through. Tilt the pan slightly and spoon the melted butter over the venison while cooking. Remove from the pan and roll the fillets into the parmesan coating, then leave to rest in a warm place for at least 5 minutes.
While the venison is resting, quickly toast the walnuts on a high heat in the same pan that you cooked the venison in. They won’t need more than a minute or so and keep moving them around so they don’t burn. Remove from the pan and give them a rough chop.
To serve, add the chicory to a plate, add some of the beetroot leaves, a handful of walnuts and a sprinkle of the pomegranate seeds. Cut the venison fillet and half and place on top, then finish off with a good drizzle of the dressing.
