Chopped tomato salad with seared venison and pomegranate

Fiona Andersen

This Middle Eastern inspired salad is a refreshing change, and works really well with any grilled meat, poultry or fish.

Ingredients

4	Tomatoes, large & ripe (Main)
2	Capsicums, roasted
2	Lebanese cucumber, small
⅓	Red onions
3	Long red chillies
2 Tbsp	Harissa paste
½ cup	Parsley, finely chopped
¼ cup	Mint, finely chopped
1 Tbsp	Red wine vinegar, use a good quality vinegar
75 ml	Pomegranate molasses
150 ml	Olive oil
600 g	Venison denver legs

Directions

1. Score the skin of the tomatoes in several places witha small sharp knife.
2. Blanch tomatoes in a small pot of boiling water for 20 seconds before cooling completely under cold running water.
3. Remove skins from the tomatoes, cut into quarters and remove seeds.
4. Chop tomato flesh, roast peppers, cucumber, red onion and chilli into as fine a dice as possible.
5. Place chopped vegetables in a mixing bowl and add harissa, parsley, mint, red wine vinegar, half the pomegranate molasses and 120ml of olive oil.
6. Mix together well and season to taste with a little salt and pepper. Set aside at room temperature until ready to serve.
7. Heat a heavy-based frying pan over a high heat. Lightly season venison and sear in remaining olive oil until coloured on all sides.
8. Remove from pan and allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing thinly.
9. Spoon half of the chopped salad on four plates and scatter the venison on top.
10. Spoon the last of the salad over the venison and drizzle with remaining pomegranate molasses. Serve immediately.