• Grilled venison with cabbage, lemon grass and coconut samp is a real taste explosion. It might seem unusual to pair gamey meat with such tropical flavours, but the two actually go together beautifully. Succulent rich meat and fresh samp will be your new favourite dish!

    Grilled venison with Shangaan cabbage, lemon grass and coconut samp

    Serves: 2
    Cooking Time: 45 mins

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup samp
    • 45ml (3 tbsp) oil, for frying
    • ½ onion, chopped
    • 15ml (1 tbsp) curry powder
    • ¼ Chinese cabbage, shredded
    • ½ carrot, grated
    • salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
    • 1 tin coconut milk
    • ½ lemon grass stalk, crushed
    • 50g Parmesan, finely grated
    • 4 knobs butter
    • 2 x 200g venison loins

    Instructions

    1

    Boil the samp in water until soft then allow it to cool. Add 30ml (2 tbsp) of the oil to a frying pan and place over  medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for a few minutes. Add the curry powder, combine well and fry for a few minutes until fragrant.

    2

    Add the cabbage and carrot and sauté until the onion is soft and the other vegetables are al dente. Season with salt and set aside. In a separate pot, infuse the coconut milk with the lemon grass by bringing it to a boil then reducing the heat to a simmer. Place a griddle on the stove over high heat.

    3

    Remove the lemon grass from the coconut milk, add the samp and Parmesan and reduce over medium heat until you achieve a risotto-like consistency. Add the butter, season and mix well.

    4

    Rub the venison loins with the remaining oil and season.

    5

    Place the venison on the preheated griddle and grill to your liking. The griddle should be smoking hot in order to get nice char lines on the meat.

    6

    Divide the samp between 2 serving bowls and top with most of the cabbage and carrot mixture, reserving a little for garnish. Place the venison on top, garnish with the remaining cabbage and carrot, and serve hot.

    Notes

    Cook's tip: Make sure you keep stirring the onion, carrot and cabbage to avoid burning. To drink: A full-bodied oaked Chardonnay has enough body to bolster most red meats, a citrus twist to help the lemon grass and vanilla characters to match the coconut flavours of the samp.