Hearty meals with game

The robust flavour of game lends itself well to these hearty winter winners. None available? No worries – we offer a range of alternatives that taste equally good

OSTRICH STEAKS WITH CREAMY MUSHROOM SAUCE

SERVES 2 PREPARATION: 20 MIN COOKING: 30-35 MIN RESTING: 5 MIN 2 x 200g ostrich steaks 15ml (1T) olive oil RUB 10ml (2t) coriander seeds 5ml (1t) instant coffee 5ml (1t) dried thyme 2,5ml (½t) sea salt flakes SAUCE 15ml (1T) olive oil 4 garlic cloves, crushed 250g brown mushrooms, sliced 15ml (1T) brandy 5ml (1t) green peppercorns, crushed 5ml (1t) flour 60ml (¼c) beef stock 125ml (½c) cream handful of fresh parsley, chopped salt and freshly ground pepper TO FINISH

extra chopped fresh parsley 1 Pat the steaks dry with paper towels and rub with the oil. Set aside until needed. 2 Rub Heat a dry pan on the stovetop and toast the coriander seeds until fragrant. Grind the seeds in a mortar. Add to the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Sprinkle over the steaks and rub in well. 3 Sauce Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the garlic until fragrant. Add the mushrooms and stirfry until done. Add the brandy and peppercorns and sprinkle the flour over. Mix well. 4 Add the beef stock while stirring. Turn the heat down and add the cream, continuing to stir until the sauce starts reducing and has thickened slightly. Stir in the parsley and season with salt and freshly ground pepper. 5 To finish Heat a nonstick pan until smoking hot. Seal the steaks in the pan for 30 seconds a side or until a golden brown crust forms. Turn the heat down and fry the steaks for 2 minutes a side until done to your liking – be careful not to overcook as the meat will be dry. Remove from the pan and let the steaks rest for 5 minutes. 6 To serve, slice the steaks if you like, top with the creamy mushroom sauce and garnish with the extra parsley.

VARIATIONS

Beef sirloin or fillet steaks work equally well. And pork steaks are a delicious budget option.

SLOW-ROASTED SPRINGBOK SHOULDER WITH SWEET CARROTS AND COUSCOUS

SERVES 4-6 PREPARATION: 20 MIN COOKING: 3-4 HOURS SHOULDER 1 springbok shoulder salt and freshly ground pepper 2 onions, quartered 4 garlic cloves, bruised 2 carrots, sliced 60ml (¼c) berry jam 500ml (2c) red wine 500ml (2c) chicken stock COUSCOUS 375ml (1½c) couscous 100g dried peaches, chopped 30ml (2T) sunflower seeds, toasted 50g almonds, roughly chopped 5ml (1t) cumin seeds, toasted handful of fresh coriander, chopped salt and freshly ground pepper SWEET CARROTS 6 carrots, peeled and julienned 30ml (2T) butter 15ml (1T) honey 1 rosemary sprig salt Preheat the oven to 160°C. 1 Shoulder Season the meat all over with salt and pepper. Arrange the onions, garlic and carrots in the bottom of a roasting pan that has a lid. Put the meat on top of the veggies and brush the jam over. Pour the wine and stock around the meat and cover the dish with foil. Close the lid tightly and roast for 3-4 hours or until the meat starts coming off the bone. 2 Couscous Prepare the couscous according to the packet instructions. Fluff up with a fork then add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well. 3 Carrots Sir-fry the carrots with the butter, honey and rosemary over medium heat until done and syrupy. Season with a pinch of salt. 4 Shred the meat using two forks and serve with the sweet carrots and couscous.

VARIATION

Pork leg is a more affordable option. Use cider or beer instead of the wine, and apricot instead of berry jam. The size of the pork leg might affect the cooking time.

GAME BOBOTIE

SERVES 4 PREPARATION: 15 MIN COOKING: 45-50 MIN 15ml (1T) oil 1 onion, chopped 4 garlic cloves, crushed 5cm fresh ginger, grated 2,5ml (½t) cumin seeds 2,5ml (½t) ground coriander 2,5ml (½t) turmeric 30ml (2T) roasted masala 500g game mince (such as ostrich) 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed 60ml (¼c) sultanas, soaked in 125ml (½c) hot water salt and freshly ground pepper EGG CUSTARD

250ml (1c) milk 2 eggs, whisked 10g fresh coriander, chopped salt and freshly ground pepper Preheat the oven to 190°C and grease an ovenproof dish with nonstick spray. 1 Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion, garlic and ginger until fragrant. Stir in all the spices. Add the mince and stir-fry for about 5 minutes. 2 Add the sweet potato cubes and stir-fry for another 10 minutes or until the sweet potato is soft. Stir in the sultanas and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the mince mixture to the prepared ovenproof dish. Bake for 10 minutes. 3 Egg custard Whisk the milk, eggs and coriander together and season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Pour the egg custard evenly over the bobotie as soon as you remove it from the oven. Return to the oven and bake for another 20-25 minutes or until the custard has set.

VARIATIONS

Extra-lean beef mince is a good alternative to the ostrich – or use a combination of ostrich and beef mince if you like.

VETKOEK WITH PULLED VENISON

SERVES 6 PREPARATION: 20 MIN COOKING: 50 MIN MEAT 1kg venison shanks 1 onion, chopped 2 bay leaves 3 whole cloves 1 litre (4c) beef stock TO FINISH 2-3 chillies, chopped (optional) 2 garlic cloves, crushed 10g fresh parsley, chopped 30ml (2T) olive oil 1-2 rounds feta cheese, crumbled

salt and pepper TO SERVE 6-8 readymade vetkoek, halved horizontally but not cut all the way through handful of fresh coriander 1 Meat Put all the ingredients in a pressure cooker and seal tightly. Cook under pressure for 50 minutes or until the meat falls off the bones. 2 Cool the meat and remove the bones, bay leaves and cloves. Remove most of the cooking liquid, leaving the mixture moist but not too wet. Shred the meat with two forks and transfer to a mixing bowl. 3 To finish Mix in the chillies (if using), garlic, parsley, oil and feta. Season with salt and pepper. 4 To serve Fill the vetkoek with the meat and fresh coriander and serve.

VARIATIONS

Beef shin or potjiekos meat are great substitutes for the venison.

VENISON LOIN WRAPPED IN BACON WITH MUSTARD MASHED POTATOES

SERVES 4 PREPARATION: 20 MIN COOKING: 20 MIN RESTING: 10 MIN 1 x 800g piece of venison loin (springbok, kudu or gemsbok) salt and freshly ground pepper 6 garlic cloves, crushed 10ml (2t) dried thyme 200g bacon rashers 15ml (1T) oil 45ml (3T) honey, heated until runny MASH 6 potatoes, peeled and boiled until soft 15ml (1T) butter 15ml (1T) wholegrain mustard 5ml (1t) Dijon mustard salt TO SERVE

thyme sprigs Preheat the oven to 230°C. Grease a baking sheet with nonstick spray. Keep a few cocktail sticks handy. 1 Thoroughly pat the loin dry with paper towels. Season all over with salt and freshly ground pepper. Sprinkle the garlic and dried thyme over. 2 Wrap the bacon rashers around the meat , making sure you cover the entire loin. Secure the bacon with cocktail sticks. 3 Heat the oil in a large pan and lightly brown the meat for 5 minutes, turning often to ensure it cooks evenly. 4 Transfer the meat to the prepared sheet and brush all over with honey. Roast for 12-15 minutes or until done to your liking. Remove from the oven and rest for at least 10 minutes. 5 Mashed potatoes Mash the potatoes with the butter and mustards. Season with salt. 6 To serve Transfer the mash to a serving plate. Slice the meat into individual servings and arrange on the mash. Drizzle any leftover meat juice from the baking sheet over and garnish with fresh thyme. Serve immediately.

SVARIATIONS

Ostrich or beef fillet work equally well for this recipe. If your budget is tight, pork fillet is also a tasty alternative.