Glazed venison medallions with a mint dressed radish pasta salad

Glazed venison medallions with a mint dressed radish pasta salad. Photo / Jason Dorday

Venison is lean, healthy and fast to cook. 4-6 venison medallions.

Salt, pepper and freshly picked thyme leaves
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp butter
250ml beef jus
1 cup of freshly picked mint leaves
2 tbsp Dijon-style mustard
8 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup small pasta shapes (cavatelli or similar)
2 medium to large fennel bulbs
6 radishes
1 large avocado, chopped into chunks
2 tsp pink peppercorns
2 limes, juice and zest

1 Pre-heat the oven to 200C. Season the venison medallions with salt and pepper and the thyme leaves. Heat a frying pan and when hot add the oil and butter and allow to heat for 30 seconds. Add the medallions and sear quickly to brown on both sides. Remove and place in a small oven dish. Roast for 6 to 7 minutes immediately before serving.

2 Deglaze the frying pan with the beef jus while the venison is roasting, and simmer for 2 or 3 minutes.

3 Meanwhile, to make the salad, place the pasta shapes in a large pan of well-salted water and simmer until tender, but still al dente. Drain well and toss with two tablespoons olive oil so the pasta does not stick together.

4 Allow to cool.

5 Slice the fennel and radishes with a mandolin so they are paper-thin. Pick the remaining mint leaves from their stalks and place in a serving bowl with the sliced radish and fennel, the avocado and the cooked pasta.

6 Make a dressing by mixing the pink peppercorns, lime juice and zest, the remaining olive oil, and salt and pepper and toss this over the salad, folding carefully.

7 To serve, remove the venison from the oven and place on a warmed, but not heated, platter. Pour the jus over each medallion and add a generous serving of the salad.

* The accompanying salad appears in The New Zealand Vegetable Cook Book, out on August 6.