For five years the annual Selaks NZ Roast Day has been a fun occasion on New Zealand's culinary calendar. Roast Day (Sunday August 3) celebrates the country's favourite cook-up.
This year I'm sure the Selak family will be celebrating in style. It was 80 years ago that Croatian immigrant Marino Selak enjoyed the first vintage from his 300 vines planted in Henderson, Auckland. Marino came to New Zealand in 1906 and was devastated that there was little wine available. Following the first vintage, progress was rapid. New Zealanders loved his wine. Six years later he was joined by nephew Mate and they concentrated on making classical varietal wines. Land was purchased in Hawke's Bay and Marlborough, these regions offering new opportunities to grow different grapes varieties.
This year I'm serving farmed venison. We will have friends from the UK as house guests, and although they have hunted deer in the wild, they're not familiar with the flavour and tenderness of the farmed meat.
For best results, do not overcook venison. There is only a little fat marbled through the tissue - less than similar cuts of beef - and overcooking will cause the meat to become dry and tough. Cook to an internal temperature of 57C and then allow it to rest. This guarantees perfectly cooked medium-rare venison and will make it easier to slice. Farmed venison is rich in iron and vitamins and low in cholesterol.
Great accompaniments for roasts include:
