(Serves 8)

Venison with fruit, and in particular berry fruit, is a tried-and-true combination, and if something works there is no need to change.

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

• Remove any silverskin from venison. (The butcher may have done this for you.) Preheat oven to 220ºC.
• Brush venison with oil and season with pepper. Place a heavy frypan on a high heat and sear venison on all sides.
• Transfer venison to oven in the frypan if it is ovenproof, or transfer venison to a roasting tray and then place in the oven.
• Roast venison till it is medium rare. Allow 3 minutes cooking time per centimetre thickness of meat. For example if the piece of venison is 2cm thick it may take 6 minutes to cook to medium-rare, but do check it before 6 minutes is up. Venison cooked medium rare will smell aromatic, and the meat when prodded with a forefinger will feel firm on the outside but yielding in the centre.
• Remove from oven, remove venison to a warmed dish and cover with a clean dry tea towel. Keep venison roasting pan to make the sauce in. Rest venison for 8-10 minutes to allow the juices to evenly distribute through the meat. This will also give you the opportunity to make the sauce.
• Slice and serve with Pickled Blackberry Sauce If you wish accompany with roasted kumara and green beans.