Horopito Crusted Venison - with Kumara (Sweet Potatoes)

 Ingredients

8 x 100g venison steaks (either rump, topside or round cuts)

150ml of glaze (venison is best, but use veal as an alternative)

8 teaspoons of Horopito Seasoning

1 teaspoon of brown sugar

1 sprig of baby onions

1 fresh pomegranate (or tinned if unavailable)

1kg of Kumara (sweet potato)

Hand full walnuts lightly roasted & crushed (optional)

Serves 4.

Method:

Toss baby onions, kumara in a little oil and salt and pepper into a roasting tray. Roast in the oven until tender and golden, approximately 45 minutes at 180 degrees.

To make the pepper crust, mix horopito seasoning and sugar - should be a little chunky. Coat the venison steaks to create a crust and sear in a hot pan with canola oil for 2 minutes on both sides. Let it rest.

(Be careful - to not overcook) - it is a lean meat so it is best eaten rare/medium rare.

Serve the venison steaks with the baked kumara, pomegranate jus, roast baby onion and sprinkle with crushed walnut.

*Make your own venison glaze by boiling bones and venison trim, in a large pot covered with water, add peppercorns, bay leaf, parsley stalks, chopped celery, onion and carrot.  any leftovers put in an airtight container and freeze.

Then get your guests to wash up!