Tamarillo Braised Venison

Name: Tamarillo Braised Venison
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 25 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 400-500g Duncan Venison (roast or shoulder); 50g freshly ground coffee; 2 star anise pods, ground; 10 black peppercorns, ground; 8 shallots, cut in half lengthways; 2 carrots, cut in half lengthways; 250ml NZ Merlot; 2L beef stock; 2 bay leaves; 2 golden kumara, large; 1 pinch of salt; 50ml olive oil; 250ml NZ Pinot Gris; 12 rainbow chard or silverbeet leaves; 2 rosemary sprigs; 6 tamarillos, cut lengthways

Braised Duncan Venison with tamarillo on golden kumara mash

This farm-raised venison recipe will warm the cockles of your heart this winter. Filled with slow-cooked venison, herbs, red wine and a tamarillo sauce, it's perfect for the cold nights. When slow-cooking venison, take care that it's always fully immersed in liquid and doesn't boil to ensure that it doesn't dry out and become tough.

Prep Time	1 hour
Cook Time	25 minutes
Serves	4

Ingredients

400-500g Duncan Venison (roast or shoulder)
50g freshly ground coffee
2 star anise pods, ground
10 black peppercorns, ground
8 shallots, cut in half lengthways
2 carrots, cut in half lengthways
250ml NZ Merlot
2L beef stock
2 bay leaves

Kumara Mash

2 golden kumara, large
1 pinch of salt
50ml olive oil

Tamarillo Sauce

250ml NZ Pinot Gris
12 rainbow chard or silverbeet leaves
2 rosemary sprigs
6 tamarillos, cut lengthways

Method

Preheat your oven and a roasting dish to 180˚C and set aside at room temperature while you make the stock.
If you are using the venison roast, cut it into 2-3 portions. Rub the freshly ground coffee, star anise and pepper thoroughly into the venison. Place the shallots and carrots in the preheated dish and roast until golden brown; about 15 minutes. Whilst these are roasting, bring a pan to medium heat and simmer the red wine until it has reduced by about 3/4.
Place the rubbed venison in a deep heavy-based pot or crockpot. Put the roasted shallots and carrots on top with the rosemary and bay leaves. Pour over the reduced wine and beef stock.
Place the pot on medium heat and very slowly bring to a simmer. At no point do you want the stock to boil as this will dry out the venison. Turn the heat to the lowest setting and place the pot lid on top, slightly ajar. Cook slowly for 1 hour.
Whilst the meat is cooking, boil the whole, unpeeled kumara in a large pot of salted water until soft and tender – check by pressing it with a small knife. Set the kumara aside for 15 mins to cool, then cut them in half. Scoop out all the soft, golden kumara from the peel and place in a bowl, season with salt and a drizzle of olive oil then mash vigorously using the back of a large wooden spoon. Set aside in a warm place for serving with the venison.
For the sauce, place the tamarillos flat side down on a small oven tray. In a small pan, boil off the pinot gris until it reduces and goes golden brown. Pour this over the tamarillo halves, cover with aluminium foil and roast at 180˚C for 25 mins. Remove from the oven, and set aside to cool. Peel the skin from the tamarillos and discard.Place the flesh in a bowl then pour in the remaining liquid from the oven tray and roughly mash together.
Blanch the rainbow chard or silverbeet in a pot of boiling salted water with an extra dash of olive oil.

To Serve:

Have all the meal components separately in bowls on the table and let your dinner guests self-serve.

Or, for more of a visual feast, place a generous scoop of the kumara mash in the bottom of four bowls, place the venison on top, place a few shallot halves on top, then cover with the blanched rainbow chard. Spoon the tamarillo over the top, and finish with a grind of fresh black pepper.