Gleaming ruby cranberries and plump macadamias make this meal look really festive. It's the dish that kicks off my Christmas cooking season - a celebration dinner, to be eaten with good wine and great friends.
Ingredients
| 400 g | Venison medallions (Main) |
| 2 | Shallots, finely chopped |
| 2 sprigs | Chopped thyme |
| 2 tsp | Fresh ginger, grated |
| 2 Tbsp | Vodka |
| 1 cup | Chicken stock |
| 2 tsp | Oranges, grated zest |
| 85 g | Macadamia nuts, roasted and salted (Main) |
| 2 Tbsp | Dried cranberries (Main) |
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
Directions
- In a heavy-based frypan, cook shallots, garlic, thyme and ginger in 1Tbsp of olive oil over medium-low heat until shallots have softened.
- Add 1Tbsp vodka to the pan to deglaze, scraping any bits of shallot etc off the bottom.
- Tip the cooked shallot mixture into a small saucepan, and add the chicken stock, the remaining 1T of vodka and orange zest.
- Bring saucepan to the boil, then cook at a medium simmer for 7 minutes. In the last 2-3 minutes of simmering, add the macadamia nuts (cut in half if you prefer a less chunky-looking dish) and cranberries, plus salt and pepper to taste.
- While the sauce is cooking, wipe out the heavy frypan with a paper towel, then heat to a high temperature.
- Rub the venison medallions with olive oil, and season with salt and plenty of black pepper.
- Pan-fry the medallions for about 2 minutes each side or until done to your liking. Rest them for a few minutes covered with a clean tea towel.
- Serve the medallions with the sauce spooned over. Suggested accompaniments could be green beans or asparagus, with individual potato galettes if you're doing a fancy meal, or, for a more robust option, your favourite mashed potatoes.
