Serves: 4 Preparation: 1 1/2 hours Time to cook: 20 mins Cost per serve: $$4-$5
300g Cleaned venison Loin or Denver leg
500ml water
50g Salt
25g Sugar
Manuka chips
50g Grapeseed oil
10g Good Quality cocoa powder
30g Dark Chocolate
1-2 lg Beetroot
1tbsp brown sugar
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp Red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic
2 inch piece of cucumber peeled and seeds removed and then flesh cut into cubes
4 radishes ends removed and cut into wedges
20g Gin
Seeds from the cucumber
2 juniper berries
1 tsp sugar
1 lime juice
Blend together and then pass through a fine sieve. Leave the cucumber and radish to macerate until needed.
Smoked Venison
Whisk the water, sugar and salt together until it dissolves. Add the venison and leave for a couple of hours. Remove and dry the venison then rub with oil. Smoke the venison with Manuka chips either in a closed BBQ or a turned off oven. Quickly seal the venison in a pan with a little foaming butter and reserve.
Chocolate oil
Warm the oil and cocoa powder in a pan but not to hot or you will burn the cocoa. Remove from the heat and leave to cool a little then add the chocolate. Reserve.
Beets
Place all ingredients in a pan and cover with water, simmer until the beets are nearly cooked. Drain and then peel the beets and cut into neat cubes. Reduce the cooking liquor down to a syrup and then pour back onto the beets. Reserve.
To Serve
Thinly slice the warmed venison and place onto plate, arrange the rest neatly around. Sprinkle with the wasabi powder then drizzle around the chocolate oil. Finish with some picked watercress and spoon a little of the gin dressing around.
Enjoy!