This being the month of Christmas, a holiday celebrated among 160 of the 195 countries that make up this planet, I’ve decided to do a monthly installment of how different countries around the world celebrate this special holiday in their kitchens and feature their signature holiday meals. Some may be sides, some may be mains, maybe a dessert or two, some may be a complete dinner. Only time will tell by which country my girls have randomly pulled out of Santa’s hat.
Welcome to the other side…of the globe that is! While we all typically experience Christmas by bundling up, lighting a fire, wearing ugly Christmas sweaters, and having big roasts and warm sides, New Zealand is in the Southern Hemisphere. As it’s typically warm, they celebrate by having a picnic or barbecue. Since yesterday was unseasonably warm, and about the same temperature as it was in New Zealand (65 and sunny), I decided I’d follow suit and get out on the grill. My friend Dino is part of a program that controls the local deer population, so I used the typical kiwi seasoning and grilled up the hyperlocal (like less than 20 miles) venison steaks he gave me and paired it with a lovely cherry balsamic reduction. I even made a summery side of Kerikeri salad (like a NZ-style succotash) and topped it all off with a delicious Pinot Noir from New Zealand.
NZ-style Venison Steaks with Cherry Balsamic Reduction
Steaks
4 venison steaks
Olive oil
1 tbsp fennel seeds (ground in a spice grinder)
Cumin
Kosher Salt
Black pepper
Sauce
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
⅔ cup balsamic vinegar
⅔ cup Cabernet Sauvignon
¼ cup cherry preserves
1.5 cups frozen cherries
Preheat a grill on high heat for 15 minutes. Brush the grates clean and using an oil-soaked paper towel and tongs, oil the grates. Cover and allow to come back up to temperature for 5 minutes.
Prepare the steaks by blotting dry with paper towels. Rub some oil over the steaks and season with kosher salt, black pepper, ground fennel and cumin, rubbing the seasoning into the meat. Grill the steaks over high heat, 3 minutes per side (4 mins for thicker cut steaks), until the meat registers 125 degrees. Remove, tent with foil, and allow to rest for at least 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a saucepan, preheat the oil over medium and saute the shallots, with a pinch of salt, for a few minutes until beginning to soften. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Then stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat and simmer until reduced and it becomes thick and syrupy, stirring occasionally, about 10-15 minutes. When finished, turn off the heat and cover to keep warm until the steaks are ready.
You may want to lightly reheat prior to serving.
To serve, slice the steaks and plate, spooning some balsamic cherry reduction over the grilled meat. Serve with Kerikeri salad - see below.
Kerikeri Salad
If it’s summer time, by all means, use fresh corn. But, since I made this in December, I opted for canned sweet corn.
1 can of sweet corn, drained
1 cup of frozen peas
4 green onions, sliced thin
Garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp champagne vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Cayenne Pepper
Bring a small pot of water to a boil.
Meanwhile, place the drained corn in a large bowl along with the minced green onions.
In a small jar, combine the garlic, oil, vinegar, Dijon mustard, a pinch of Cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Screw the lid on the jar and shake vigorously for about 30 seconds and reserve.
When the water comes to a boil, pour in the frozen peas. When the water returns to a boil, cook for 30 more seconds. Drain the peas and place in an ice-water bath (or run under cold water until the peas have cooled). Drain and place in the bowl with the corn. Season with salt and black pepper.
Shake the jar of dressing briefly and pour over the salad. Stir to combine and serve. ______________________________
Copyright 2021, Brendan McCann, All Rights Reserved.
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