DRY AGED ELAND FILLET – VENISON AND PORK BRAWN

DRY AGED ELAND FILLET, VENISON AND PORK BRAWN, TRUFFLE POTATO CROUQETTES, SAGE, SALTED HONEY LAVENDER SAUCE

 For the dry aged eland fillet you will need

1 x 180g eland fillet portion

2 x cloves garlic fresh, crushed

2 x bay leaves

4 leaves sage

4 knobs of butter

For the curried pork and venison brawn you will need

6 Pig’s trotters

1 Whole springbok neck

1 Yellow onion, Quartered

2 Carrots, Diced

4 Whole cloves

6 Black pepper corns

12 Allspice berries

4 tablespoons Fresh coriander, finely chopped

Salt and pepper for seasoning

1 x recipe curry paste see below

For the curry paste you will need:

6 tbs mild curry powder

2 tbs Garam Masala

1/2 cup chopped red onion

2 tbs chopped ginger

2 tbs chopped garlic

4 tbs melted butter

8 tbs brown sugar

1 cup tarragon infused white wine vinegar

For the potato croquettes you will need:

2 tablespoons milk

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp chopped parsley

2 egg yolks, beaten

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 cup mashed potatoes

2 tbs truffle oil

1 egg, beaten

Panko bread crumbs

For the salted honey sage sauce you will need

2 springs fresh lavender

2 springs fresh sage leaves

1 clove

½ tsp fennel seeds

60ml buchu infused sherry vinegar

40 g salted butter

300 ml honey

300 ml white beef stock

4 tbs lemon juice

HOW TO MAKE

the curry paste

Warm the butter in an small sauce pan, add the ginger, garlic and onion and sauté till soft. No add the spices and fry till aromatic. Deglaze the pan with the vinegar and stir in the sugar. Set aside for later use.

 the brawn

Clean the trotters thoroughly of all hairs. Just before use, rinse the meat thoroughly under cold water to remove all brine and salt. Add the all meat, vegetables and spices to a large pressure cooker. Cover with 2.5 liters of cold water. Bring the pressure cooker to full pressure and cook for 60 minutes. Allow the pressure cooker to depressurize and the meat to cool until it can be handled. Strain the stock and remove the vegetables, spices and meat. Remove the skin and all the bones from the trotters; also remove all the meat from the neck. Chop the meat coarsely.

Add the stained stock to a large pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the liquid by half. Add the meat and stir in the curry paste. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Continue to boil the brawn for another 15 minutes then add the chopped coriander.

Pour the brawn into a large terrine mold or roll into logs using cling wrap and foil

the fillet

Heat a cast iron pan till almost smoking hot. Brush you fillet portion with herb infused olive oil. Seared the fillet in the pan till brown on both sides, about 60 seconds on each side without moving it. Now add the herbs and butter to the pan and finish in very warm over for 5 minutes.

the potato croquettes

Add milk, salt, pepper, chopped onion, beaten egg yolks, truffle oil and flour to mashed potatoes. Shape into desired shape, refrigerate and then crumb with egg and flour. Set aside

the honey and sage  sauce

Roast the sage and lavender in a hot dry pan, and then add the clove and fennel. Toast the spices until fragrant and then add the vinegar and stock, reduce till sticky. Add the butter, salt and honey and bring back to the boil. Reduce till thick and strain.

TO PLATE

Garnish with truffled potato croquettes, confit pearl onions, sautéed wild mushrooms, pickled carrot coulis and red wine jus